Enchanted Beginnings
by alitablake
Summary: Diamond Rings, White dresses and Lingerie. The perfect recipe for a perfect wedding for the newly engaged couple, but will they survive all the planning? Limes, a lemon and loads of fluff.
1. Stolen!

**A/N: I do Not own Skip Beat!**

**Hi all! This story has been swimming in my head for more than a month. Why has it taken me so long? Because of these four first chapters. I put a lot... A LOT of thought into it and I truly hope you enjoy it. Give most of the credit to my husband for helping me with the poems. I couldn't do this without him.**

Kyoko woke up leisurely. She had no filming, interviews, or auditions today. She opened her eyes to find the sun streaming in on this cool February morning, not that she could feel the cold tucked inside her warm futon. In fact, it looked rather warm outside - although looks are often deceiving.

It was just after eight in the morning. Even on her days off she couldn't sleep in late. Sometimes Kyoko wished that she was like other girls who could sleep until ten in the morning, but her ryokan training robbed her of that. She stretched her awakening body, letting out a little groan, and then sighed with a smile.

Her plans for the day included learning her lines for the next few episodes of her newest drama, Red Ribbon, and helping out downstairs in the Daruma-ya - if the Sasakis allowed her to. Their normal clients were used to the little starlet serving them, but occasionally a fan would get overly excited and caused a ruckus, forcing Taisho to take action.

Kyoko crawled out of her cocoon to start the day. She pulled on some clean underwear, a pair of comfortable black jeans, and a dark green shirt with long-sleeves. She stood up to go downstairs for breakfast, when she found a curious little note attached to her door.

The note was tacked onto the door. It was dark yellow and slightly curled to make the paper look like it was old. The lettering was printed in black and in an old fashioned script. She tore the note down and read it.

Look all around, the thing you'll not find

the Corn from your past is now mine.

If you want it returned

first you must learn

the rules of this game

and where you must turn.

So without further ado

here is your first clue

seek out the Lady of the House

and you'll know what to do.

Kyoko's hands were trembling slightly as she read it again… and again.

"No, no, no…" she said as she shook her head. She stumbled into her room, grabbing her phone to dial, fumbling at the little numbers. It took her three tries to finally get the phone to ring for the person she wanted.

"Please answer… please, please, please," she begged, her eyes shut. This couldn't be happening. She felt like she couldn't breathe, like her chest was gripped in an iron vise.

"Hello?"

Kyoko's heart almost shattered in relief as she heard his voice. "Oh thank God," she exclaimed. Her legs trembled with relief and she collapsed onto her knees, trying to calm her heart and steady her breathing.

"What's wrong, Kyoko?" Kuon sounded concerned, wondering why she sounded so upset.

"I thought…" she panted before taking a few deep breaths, "I found a note in my room telling me someone took you. I got so scared. I thought someone kidnapped you or something."

"A note? Kidnap? I'm home right now getting ready. I'm fine, there is no one else here, unless someone is breaking in as I speak, and I'm sure I could handle it if that happened," he reassured her with a hint of humor in his voice.

"That's not funny! I don't care if you are a martial artist, I don't want you getting hurt in some fight. If someone attacks you, you run and call the police!" Kyoko didn't want to imagine what kind of things could happen to him. When Kuon told her of his past, she had been terrified for his safety. She made him promise not to take chances like that again.

"Yes, yes. But nothing like that is going to happen unless it's on film. Right now, I'm more worried about you. You found a note at your door? Like the restaurant's door or your bedroom door?"

She felt a chill run down her spine at the thought of a stranger or worse -Reino or Sho - coming into her private bedroom. "Um… it was my bedroom door," she whispered.

"I'm coming over," he stated.

"No. You'll be late to your jobs today if you come over." She didn't want to bother him.

"Someone we don't know was just in my girlfriend's bedroom without her permission, and you expect me to just continue on with my day like nothing happened? I don't think so. I'm canceling today's shoots and coming over." She heard his door open and close.

"Kuon, please, I'm fine." She looked around the room, distraught. "It looks like they just wanted to scare me since nothing is out of place."

She heard Kuon sigh, "How can you be so calm?"

"Well, my first instinct was to make sure you were okay since it mentioned you. Since you are okay, I really don't feel the urgency anymore." She looked at the note absentmindedly as she spoke.

"It mentioned me?" He asked curiously.

"Well not really you by name. It says, "The Corn from your past is now mine." You are the Corn from my past." She paused and frowned. "But no one knows that you are my Corn so this doesn't make sense."

"Your Corn? How possessive of you, my love." She heard him smile.

She blushed. "I didn't mean it like that. You know what I meant," she mumbled as he laughed. He loved teasing her. They had been dating for over a year now, but she was still hesitant to accept that he loved her unconditionally.

"Hmm, well perhaps someone misheard you. After all, you did the same when we met," he offered.

"The only reason I misunderstood was because of your American accent. No one can mistake Kuon for Corn if you pronounce it correctly. I don't call you that. I like your real name." She blushed at her admission. If she was with him in person, Kyoko was sure she would melt underneath his divine smile.

"That's true. What did the note say?"

She read the rest of the note out loud to him, and they stayed silent for a moment pondering the meaning. Suddenly, the gears in her head clicked. Kyoko figured out the riddle.

"Oh! My Stone!" she cried out, running to her little shelf to search for her little coin purse. "No, my purse is still here, but then what…" she reached for the little purse and felt absolutely nothing inside.

The stone was gone.

"IT'S GONE," she screamed. Kyoko opened the little purse to double check and sure enough it was empty.

"Kuon! They took Corn!" She started to throw her books, picture frames, and other keepsakes to the floor as she looked for the stone.

"Kyoko calm down." He heard lots of thumps and shuffling. When she didn't reply, he called out to her again, "Kyoko?"

"It's gone. It's not here," she cried as she shifted through her drawers.

"Don't worry. I'll be there in a little bit and we can file a police report."

"Okay." Kyoko sat on the ground as she heard his car door close on the other side of the phone.

"Who knew about your stone, Kyoko?" He asked as he started his car.

Kyoko thought about it. There was Kuon, of course, he was the one who gave it to her. Her landlords knew of it as well as Yashiro-san and Moko. Then there was….

She nodded to herself. That explained everything. Not only was he cruel enough to take the stone, he also thought it was extremely dangerous.

"That stupid Beagle knew and always told me to get rid of it. I bet it was him!" Kyoko was so sure it was him, but she hadn't seen him in…actually, she couldn't remember how long it's been.

"No." Kuon's voice was so firm, causing her to jump in surprise. "It's not him. I took care of that problem after the White Day incident." His voice was so deathly cold she shivered from fear. Kyoko remembered that day. She hadn't known her feelings about Kuon then, but looking back at it now, she thought herself a fool not to have known.

"But he came back the first time you threatened him. What makes you think your second threat worked?" She didn't mean to question him, but Kyoko honestly couldn't think of anyone else who would steal the stone.

"Trust me. He won't be a part of our lives anymore." The conviction in his voice forced her to drop the issue.

"Okay, then I'm lost," she sighed as she just looked at the note. Her most precious of gifts was stolen, and she didn't know by whom.

"I'm two seconds away. Come down stairs and give me my good morning kiss."

Kyoko blushed and laughed softly. She shook her head. This was not the time to be laughing. "Kuon, I'm really upset by this. Your stone was stolen," she pouted as she stood up and started to make her way down stairs. Since the living quarters and restaurant were separated, she didn't see the Taisho or Okami as she walked to the back entrance.

"It's not mine anymore. It's yours, but I know how…" Kyoko opened the door and there stood Kuon with a soft, sincere smile. He hung up his phone finishing with, "much it means to you. Good morning, sweetheart." As Kuon smiled at her, she sighed as warmth flooded her body. That smile was utterly captivating, like a bewitching spell. The world could end this second and as long as she was with him, she would still be exceptionally happy.

"Good Morning," she blushed, embarrassed that her phone was still being held against her ear. Kuon smiled humorously as she shut her phone. He stepped through the threshold and slipped his arms around her, causing her to shiver. He bent down slightly and Kyoko was more than happy to rise on her toes to meet his lips.

The contact was brief, but it still made her knees weak. Her hand slipped around his slim waist, and he pulled her closer to him as he kissed her. At that moment their thoughts were perfectly in sync: It would be wonderful to have this every single morning. Kuon turned around and closed the door behind him while Kyoko licked her lips, wishing to keep the flavor of him just a little bit longer. He turned towards her and she smiled up at him with a small blush. As he slipped off his shoes to enter the home, a voice spoke out from the hall.

"Good Morning, Hizuri-san." Both of the stars' attentions turned to the older woman.

"Good morning, Okami-san!" Kyoko bowed down, blushing a little darker. Did she catch them kissing? If the Okami-san had seen, she didn't let them know.

"I didn't know you were coming by. Shall we set another place at the breakfast table?" she asked.

Kuon bowed down gently, "That would be lovely, thank you." He smiled his dashing smile, leaving the okami with the light blush of a school girl. When Kuon looked back at his girlfriend, he shrank back in fear.

"You were going to skip breakfast weren't you?" Her voice was low and threatening.

Kuon gulped, "No, of course, not. What makes you say that?"

"You are willing to eat here. That means you haven't eaten yet, and you have… what, about an hour left till your first job?" She crossed her arms under her breast, glaring at him.

"I was going to get something on the way to pick up Yukihito, but you called." He tried to turn it back on her.

"Hmmm… Well it doesn't matter since you are staying to eat with us." She started to walk off, and Kuon smiled as she grumbled at his lack of self preservation. He reached over and took her hand, turning her around straight into his arms.

"Ku...hmmmm," she cut off as he kissed her. Kyoko shivered as his hands ran down her back and pressed her against his hard frame. Her eyes opened at the loss of his lips and met the Emperor's. He leaned towards her, moving past her mouth to whisper in her ear.

"You could move in with me and make sure I eat properly," Kuon whispered to her, and she felt herself grow hot in his embrace. His lips pressed a soft kiss just below her ear, causing her to gasp softly.

"Kuon," she moaned as he nibbled down her neck, goosebumps crawling over her skin. She couldn't move in with him - look at how she melted under his touch in her own home! She wouldn't be able to last a whole day in his condo - alone with him. Kyoko was already having a hard time resisting him without the added temptation of living with him. The feeling of his warm, wet kisses sent waves of pleasure through her body and she instinctively held him closer. Her breath hitched as Kuon hit her collar bone - it was a sensitive spot - and he knew that. She felt her knees go weak as his hand ran down her back, lightly grazing her bottom and to her thigh. Her leg crept up his, eagerly trying to wrap around Kuon's leg.

"Kyoko-chan? Hizuri-san?" the okami-san called from the other room.

"That was close," Kyoko mumbled, hoping he wouldn't hear her, and pushed away from Kuon's very warm and enticing arms. "Coming!" she yelled out and rushed to the other room, trying to calm down her heart and the heat pooling in her lower abdomen.

Kuon smirked, knowing he shouldn't tease her like that. She wanted to wait and he would respect that. That didn't mean Kyoko couldn't move in with him. She could sleep in the spare bedroom. He just wanted her close by… stop lying to yourself. You'd slowly seduce her until she willingly came to your bed.

He sighed. It was better that she lived away from him. There were nights, dates that were in his condo or ended up there, of her in his arms, and he was so very close to taking it too far. Her flushed hot skin burned underneath his fingertips, her hands sending shivers through his body as they sunk into his hair, the feel of her soft lips and warm slick tongue driving him mad with desire. She made the sexiest little sounds as his hands slid up her thigh, slowly pushing up her skirt.

Kuon took a deep breath. Now was not the time to think about this. There were other, more important matters to attend to - like the note she found. He smiled to himself and shook his head, making his way to the personal dinning room.

They were eating breakfast when the conversation turned to the note. The Okami-san pulled out another note and handed it to Kyoko. "This was on the door for you, Kyoko-chan."

Kyoko took the note from her. It was rolled up with a small black tie with a little tag that said, "To Kyoko" written in the same script.

"It did say to seek out the "Lady of the house" so that would mean Okami-san," Kyoko said. She looked at the older woman who busy eating - so much, in fact, that Kyoko thought it a little odd.

"Um, are you in a hurry, Okami-san?" she asked, and the woman blushed. The taisho didn't say anything. He was as stoic as always, just eating his breakfast.

Okami-san blushed lightly and shook her head, "No… well… yes, I gather it will be a very busy day today, and I'm eager to get started." She laughed nervously, and Kyoko tilted her head a little worried.

"Well, I have the day off so I'll help out."

"No…" The older woman started.

"But…"

Both the Okami-san and Kuon started to speak at the same time, and both stopped with a smile on their lips. Kuon motioned for the woman to continue.

"No, Kyoko-chan. We are fine today. You should address this note and get your stone back," she said and forced a smile onto her face.

Kyoko frowned, but looked back at the note. She had to admit that she wanted to get her Corn back, and the whole situation peaked her curiosity.

"And you have no idea who gave you the note?" Kyoko asked, looking up in concern.

Okami-san shook her head vigorously, her eyes flickering nervously to the Taisho, Kyoko, and back at her food. "We…ummm… found it tied to our front door," she smiled brightly. "It was just tied there with your name on it."

"What does it say?" Kuon asked when the woman stopped talking. Kyoko sighed and unraveled the rolled up paper. It was printed the same way and on the same paper as the first note. She read it out loud:

"Tap dancing, baton twirling and acrobats

All may come to show their act.

Though there are many who don't get the part

You were the one to get a start.

Go to the man, thought inflicted with fear

that helped you get a start in your career.

Have no fear there's no danger here

At the end of this road all will be clear.

"Start in my career?" She repeated, "That's President Takarada right?"

Kuon took the note and read it again. "It says they were inflicted by fear. Fear is one of the last things the President would feel."

Kyoko took a deep breath, "The first part sounds like an audition. Oh! Sawara-san." Then she frowned. "Why would Sawara-san have Corn?"

"That's something you should ask him." Kuon stood up, "I'll drive you there." He turned to the couple, "Thank you for the lovely meal. I hope everything goes well for you today."

"YES! You too!" Okami-san burst out, and then she blushed as Taisho coughed lightly. Kyoko looked at the older woman and wanted to ask what was wrong, but she was ushered out by Kuon. As they entered his car, she voiced out her thoughts.

"Wasn't Okami-san acting a little funny like she was nervous or something?" Kyoko asked, thinking about this morning's breakfast.

"Did she? I don't really know her as well as you do," he said distracted as he pulled into traffic.

"You are awfully calm for someone who was panicking about a potential break in," Kyoko stated as she looked at him suspiciously.

Kuon smiled, "Yeah, I'm not really nervous about this anymore. She was acting scared, so I think she put the note on your door and I think she knows who gave them to her too. If Sawara-san is involved, who do you think the master mind of this is?"

Kyoko thought about it for a moment then it dawned on her, "Ah, President Takarada."

He smirked, "So I think it would be best just to play the game. You'll probably get Corn back sometime during it."

She agreed, and having Kuon reassure her that this was just some game the President made up had her feeling better about the whole ordeal.

"Okay, I'll see where this takes me. There are probably other LoveMe members doing this too." She turned to Kuon and gave him a quick kiss. "Have a good day at work."

He smiled and was tempted to bring her back in for a proper kiss, but restrained himself. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will. Bye." She exited the car, and Kuon took off while she went to Sawara's office.


	2. First Clue

Chapter 2: First Clue

It was about 9:15 when she found herself at Sawara's desk. He was as busy as always with papers and scripts on his desk. Once Kyoko debuted, she had stopped seeing Sawara for her roles, and instead moved under Matsushima-san's jurisdiction. She was officially removed from the LoveMe section when she started dating Kuon.

So why was she still doing LoveMe things? It wasn't like the President didn't have other victims to play with in his favourite section. With the LoveMe trio's success, everyone was eager to join the section - even with the bright pink jumpsuits they were required to wear. Yet here she was, still a pawn on Takarada's LME chess board.

"Good Morning, Sawara-san," she bowed.

Sawara looked up at her confused. "Good morning, Mogami-san. Is there something you need?" He didn't mind seeing the girl, but he was always a little worried when he did. Let's face it - she could be rather creepy - especially when Fuwa Sho's mentioned. It was like there was a poltergeist in the office when she was there.

"Actually, I was hoping you had something for me? I believe you are the one I need to see."

He didn't look up at her as she held out the notes to him, simply shaking his head. "Matsushima-san has all your assignments now. I'm sorry I don't have anything for you."

"Um, this isn't for a job. You don't have an old yellow note or something like that addressed to me?" she asked again. He was the only one she could think of that would match the little poem.

"A yellow note?" He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. It always stunned him how grown up she looked now. Her hair color was still the same, but it seemed to have grown just a touch longer, making her look more mature somehow. His eyes fell to the little sheets of papers in her hand.

"OH! Yes…yes, that's today isn't it," he said as he started to ruffle through papers to find the item in question. "Sorry, I completely forgot about that. Wait, I have it here." He started to shuffle through his drawers before finally finding it.

"Here you go." He gave a small smile and handed it to her. It was curled up and had the same ribbon and tag as the one Okami-san had given her. She bowed down and took the item. He started working again, and then stopped when she didn't move.

"Is there something else, Mogami-san?"

"I'm sorry, Sawara-san." She bowed in apology and then asked, "Do you know who gave this to you?"

He paused for a moment as if he was trying to remember. "I think her name was Sasaki-san, an older woman, sort of homely."

"Sasaki-san? But that's the Okami-san. Why would she have you give this to me if she could give it to me?" Kyoko asked confused. This didn't make any sense!

"I don't know. All I know is a woman by that name came in and told me to give that to you when you asked for it." He paused, "Listen, just continue with this game and you'll feel better at the end, okay?"

"But why? What is this about? Why would someone steal Corn?" she pleaded with him. He knew something. He knew what this was all about.

"Corn? The vegetable?" He looked at her incredulously. Why was she complaining about stealing corn? He thought it was delicious but not something to cry over!

"Corn! My purple stone. Someone stole it so I would do this stupid game. Now, where is it?" she demanded, stunning the few people in the room at her aggressive outburst. They had seen a great many emotions from the young actress, but anger wasn't one she, as herself, expressed.

"Okay… okay… Calm down, Mogami-san." He smiled at the rest of the office members, as if to reassure them everything was under control, before returning his attention to her. "I don't know about this stone of yours, but trust me. You'll find out about everything tonight. I wish you the best of luck though," he smiled genuinely, then returned to his paperwork.

Kyoko sighed. At first she was just a little intrigued by the little poems, but now after speaking with Sawara, she was down right riddled with curiosity and frustration. There was no way she was going to let this go, but she couldn't understand what this was all about. She left the office and found a secluded chair to read the next note.

Push or pull, run or swim

As much as you like, it will never end.

There you will find

Long of hair, dark as night

Sharp of tongue but a friendly sight.

"What?" she exclaimed, and a few people turned to look at her strangely. She blushed lightly and waved. They shook their heads and returned to their business. She reread the note, but it still didn't make any sense.

"Why does the President have to be so cryptic?" she mumbled to herself. Push or pull, run or swim. Run or swim… that means whomever she needs to meet is at a pool or a track of some sort. Maybe they were at the beach? The ocean never ended and you could run at the beach - there were always runners there.

"Push or pull…" That didn't make sense though, and the next line made it sound like all four of those things would never end. She read the next lines, long hair… long black or dark brown hair… and a sharp tongue… friend….

"MOKO-SAN!" she yelled out, and several people turned to look at her again with frowning faces. Kyoko just smiled brightly at them and started to leave the building. She didn't know where Kanae was but luckily she could just call and find out. Kanae answered on the third ring.

"Moko-san! You're in this plan too?"

"Well, hello to you too, Kyoko. How are you today? I've had a fantastic day, thank you so much for asking," she said sarcastically.

"Moko-san! What is going on and where are you?" Kyoko was quickly walking out the building.

"I can't tell you. You are supposed to figure it out for yourself." She sounded like she thought this whole thing was just silly, but internally she was fighting not to smile.

"But I don't understand the clue. Just tell me," Kyoko whined.

"Just think about it. This is supposed to be fun. You figured out it was me that was next. What does the other part say?"

Kyoko read the note to her and she heard Kanae growl slightly. "What is 'Sharp of Tongue' supposed to mean!"

Kyoko giggled. It was that line that had helped her to figure out the clue. "So what do the first two lines mean? Are you at the beach?"

"No. Geez, I can just imagine you combing the beach screaming out, Moko-san!" she mimicked, making Kyoko laugh.

Kanae continued, "So where would I go to run and swim? Think of other placed beside the beach that you could do both." There was silence as Kyoko thought about it.

"A school has both those things," she finally answered.

"No. I'm not at a school. Try again. What am I always doing?" Kanae said impatiently.

"Acting and auditioning..." Kyoko started throwing out things. She could hear Kanae start to tap her foot with annoyance.

"You like to shop but don't like spending money, so it's just window shopping. There is no swimming with shopping though," Kyoko was thinking out loud. Kanae's irritation was almost tangible through the phone.

"You also work out…"

"THERE!" Kyoko jumped at Kanae's scream.

"Oh! You're at the gym!" she said cheerily, and then frowned, "What gym?"

"MO!" Kanae cried out, exasperated.

Kyoko arrived at the gym about thirty minutes later after Kanae ended up telling her the address and how to get there. Kanae could have just worked out there at LME, but she liked the equipment in this gym more. Not to mention, he wanted Kyoko to work for this a bit.

"MOKO-SAN!" Kyoko ran to her with her arms out for a hug. Kanae just glared at her best friend, stopping the over eager hug cold as usual. She had the little note in her hand, just waiting for Kyoko to take it.

"Here you go. Off you go, now." Kanae said dismissively and started to walk away, but Kyoko followed after taking the note.

"You work out here, Moko-san? This is nice." She looked around. "And private. The lady at the desk said you were expecting me and had a guest pass for me."

"Yeah, it's very private, but it's expensive. Still, they have saunas and spas and extra security, so non-members have to be escorted by an employee or have a guest pass like yours from a member."

"LME has security and you wouldn't have to pay," Kyoko offered since she knew how careful with money Kanae was.

"It's not as good as here. Anyone is actually free to come and go into that gym so you don't see many actual famous people in that gym. Plus security only comes in after something has already happened. I like this place more even though it costs more." Kanae smiled. She actually loved talking to Kyoko when she was acting normal. There was more than her persistent nature that drew Kanae to Kyoko. Kyoko looked around the room mindlessly following Kanae. She felt the little note in her hand and looked at her best friend's back in hope.

"Moko-san, can you tell me what is going on, please?" Kyoko gave her big puppy dog eyes, but Kanae turned to stone, unwilling to let her best friend's cute face affect her.

"No."

"But why? You're my best friend and best friends shouldn't keep secrets from each other," she pouted. Kanae felt the guilt stab into her heart, but she still shook her head.

"I can't, I promised. Besides you'll like it."

"I will?" Kyoko pressed her lips together in thought, "Well can you tell me who gave you the note?"

"Sawara-san" Kanae answered easily and Kyoko looked at her funny.

"I was just with Sawara-san!"

"Oh were you?" Kanae tried to dismiss the question as she stepped onto a treadmill. She started to push the buttons to program in her work out.

Kyoko sighed as Kanae started to run. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get anything from Kanae. She should have known better than to try and get anything out of her. Kanae could play Kyoko like a fiddle, but Kyoko could never get anything out of her friend. Kanae started to run, so Kyoko decide to read the next clue.

Sweet little angel with golden hair

A princess dress is what she'll normally wear

Instead of a gown

She'll be twirling around.

In bright pink tights

She'll look quite nice

Tip toeing across the ground.

"Maria," Kyoko said out loud and Kanae looked at her in shock. She knew this was a little too easy! Still, he hadn't wanted it to be too difficult for her. It was a little after ten and his plan was to have her there by five. She would be there by 1 at this rate.

"Hey," Kanae stopped the treadmill cold and turned to her friend, "Let me show you around okay. This place is really nice."

"Eh? But I need to finish this up so I can get Corn back," Kyoko said as she was being dragged by Kanae.

"It will only take a moment and then maybe you can work out with me sometime," Kanae offered, cringing as Kyoko squealed in excitement. Kanae might regret this later, but she was sure that Kyoko wouldn't be joining after tonight.

Kanae showed Kyoko all the different equipment. The main floor had dozens of cardio machines, from bikes to elliptical machines and treadmills along with a huge section for weight training. At the far end of the floor was a windowed room that held exercising classes.

"They offer kickboxing, which I was sort of interested in joining, but I couldn't commit to due to work. This is a 24 hour facility so I can use the equipment whenever I like."

Kyoko thought Kanae sounded sort of wistful about the class and wished they could take the class together. Next she was shown the spa and sauna rooms. There were several hot tubs for free use.

"They are cleaned daily, which is more than most places could say," Kanae said.

The sauna rooms were large; they could fit about ten people each. There were four saunas, divided into two rooms for men and two rooms for women. The next area had a massive indoor swimming pool. There was a lone swimmer doing laps in the far lane. He was impressive, with wide strong shoulders and smooth even strides.

The girls left the room and went straight into the locker rooms. The man swimming in the pool burst out of the water and wiped his face. He started to dry off when another woman came into the room.

"Sho, come on, we really have to go," Shoko yelled out to her unruly star.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Sho gathered his things slowly, causing her to roll her eyes at his immaturity.

"I'll meet you in the car," Shoko grumbled annoyed, before turning to walk out. Sho took his sweet time to go into the men's locker room. He never understood the hurry his manager was always in. It wasn't like recording would take forever. They were always done long before the allotted time. He had just swung open the door and walked into shower to get dressed, when the two girls came out.

"It's rare to have private dressing rooms, and they provide everything you need," Kanae pointed out. She should advertise for this place. They would love the way she was describing it.

"This is a wonderful place, Moko-san." They walked back into the main floor.

"Now let me show you the upstairs," Kanae said energetically. Kyoko looked at the note, then back at her friend and nodded. Hopefully, Lory's plan wouldn't take all day. Upstairs had a massage parlor, a nurses station for minor injuries, and a general nutrition center, as well as a juice bar. Kyoko had to admit this place was impressive. Although once Kanae told her how much she had to pay every six months, she almost lost it.

"Ah, I'll have to think about it. The one at LME isn't as nice, but I really don't get bothered there. I'm simply not as famous as you are, Moko-san," she said timidly. Kanae knew that Kyoko truly did feel that way. Kanae also knew how much of a big fat lie it was. Yet looking at it from an outside point of view, Kanae did have to hide, whereas Kyoko could go around town without being noticed. Seen like that, one would think Kanae was more famous than Kyoko.

"You know I've been meaning to ask you about that. Every time we go out, I'm always the one who has to wear disguises. How is it you don't ever get recognized, but I always do the moment I take off my sunglasses?" she asked, annoyed.

Kyoko looked down sadly, "I don't know. I always hear how different I am in person when I do interviews, so I guess the people don't see me when I'm on the street." She then smiled at her friend, "but then I don't have as many fans as you do Moko-san, and you are just so beautiful that people just naturally look at you."

"Pfft, please!" She understood the compliment, but she also knew that this girl had people looking at her all the time when they went out. Kyoko was cute at first, but she grew into something absolutely enchanting as you got to know her - especially after she fell in love. There was this glow about her after she started dating Kuon. Love suited her. Still, people didn't seem to swarm Kyoko like they did to Kanae and Kuon.

Kanae sighed and looked up at the clock. It was 11 now. Still, she could waste some more time before Kyoko left.

"I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat," Kanae stated, leaving no room for argument as she started to walk back to the locker room. Kanae was out in record time and they left the gym. She then purposely took Kyoko to a restaurant towards the outskirts of town. She truly doubted that Maria would be near here.

"How far is this place? We've been walking for 20 minutes already." Kyoko had already walked the thirty minutes to get to the gym and after walking around the gym, her feet where started to throb.

"Ah, actually it's right here." Kanae turned to what looked like a restaurant. She was happy to find that it was a sushi shop that wasn't very busy. She was a little worried about that since it was lunch time.

"The food is great here. Let's eat."

The food was not great. It was down right horrible, but Kyoko was too polite to say that and Kanae was too proud to admit that she picked this place out of a hat. They choked down the food with a lot of tea. During the lunch, they occupied their time trying to figure out the next riddle. Truthfully, Kanae didn't know what hers had said until Kyoko read it to her. She had only known who was next because she was supposed to call Maria once Kyoko left.

"Instead of a gown, she'll be twirling around in pink tights…that sounds like she is dancing," Kyoko said, frowning at the clue.

"I didn't know Maria danced," Kanae said, and Kyoko looked up at her. She hadn't known that either, but they couldn't think of what else fit the description.

"The question is, where does she dance?" Kyoko mumbled.

"LME has a dance studio. Since she is always there, I would look there," Kanae offered.

"I thought you weren't supposed to help me with this." Kyoko wasn't trying to complain but if she was helping her now, maybe she would answer other questions.

"Ah, oh… you're right. Forget what I said." Kanae had actually forgotten she wasn't supposed to help. She had been absorbed with trying to figure out the poem.

With the next destination set, Kyoko was eager to get this done. "I'm going to take a cab back to LME. Do you want to join me Moko-san?" she offered. Kanae almost said yes, but she shook her head, "No, I'm actually heading the opposite way, so you go ahead. Good luck, and I'll see you tonight."

Kyoko nodded, waved for a cab, and then stopped, "You will?"

Kanae almost cursed. "You mean you forgot!" she ad libbed. "You promised me we would go to a movie," she said, making a hurt face. Kanae's lip quivered as she fought not to smile, watching Kyoko panic at her lie.

"Oh, I'm sorry Moko-san. It's just this thing with Corn has me all confused and I completely forgot." She paused and looked away ashamed. "Where are we meeting and when?"

"Mo! Just forget it!"

"No, no, no, no! I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you. I'll buy you some ice cream tonight. I promise I won't forget this time!"

Kanae sighed. She hated lying to her friend, but hoped Kyoko would forgive her after tonight's event. Kanae told her a random time and place, and Kyoko nodded. She picked up her hand, pulling over a cab with relative ease. As soon as the cab was out of sight, Kanae picked up her phone.

"Yeah, she is heading your way. She'll be there in twenty minutes. I didn't know you went to dance classes," she mentioned curiously.

There was a pause as Kanae listened.

"Oh. That makes sense. Okay then. I'll see you at the party."


	3. Her Knight

Chapter 3

It was almost 1pm when Kyoko went to LME. She sighed at the time. She really hoped this wouldn't take much longer. Still she had to admit… she was sort of having fun. The poems were cute and they described each person rather well. She thought this was a little timid for a Lory scheme though. At least she wasn't traveling outside of the city for these things. She walked into LME and searched out the dance studios. She really didn't see much of this area but she had to clean rooms as a LoveMe girl so she knew her way around.

She looked into each of the dance rooms but couldn't find Maria. She reread the note and she couldn't think of any other "little angels with golden hair" and she was the only person who would wear princess dresses. Maybe she was too late and she left already. Only one way to find out was to ask around. She found a class that was on a break and she went up to the teacher.

"Excuse me" She bowed down, "Could you tell me if Takarada Maria has been here today or maybe a way for me to find her?"

"No, I'm sorry but I haven't seen her today." The woman said.

"Do you know what time she takes her lessons?" Maybe she could come back later. There was a chance that she wasn't there yet.

"She doesn't take lessons here. She takes them at a studio down the street. This studio is mainly for the talents to work on their pieces and get advice not to teach."

Kyoko blushed lightly, "Oh, I'm sorry to have bothered you. Thank you so much for your help."

"Don't worry, I've seen Maria-chan practice here a little and she's asked for help sometimes. It's really no bother." The woman smiled and Kyoko saw her way out. She stood in front of LME and looked around confused. She fought with herself to go back inside and ask where the dance studio was at. She said down the street but which way down the street?

Not letting her pride get the best of her, she went back in and asked. She bowed down repeatedly in apology but she found the place. It was to the left going north and she arrived at it fairly quickly. She stepped inside to find an older woman teaching several children ballet. She stayed to the side and looked around. She spotted Maria rather quickly and she couldn't help the smile on her lips.

She looked adorable in her pink tights. Kyoko thought she looked better in the color than she did. All of the students were learning how to plie while holding on to a bar attached to the wall. Maria did very well compared to some of the other students but got yelled at when she noticed Kyoko and waved at her.

About 15 minutes later, a break was called.

"Onee-sama!" She ran over to Kyoko and they hugged briefly.

"You dance very well Maria-chan! How long have you been doing this for?"

Maria blushed, "just a little bit." She's been doing this for three years now and this class was a step lower than her actual class but she had to be here for this.

"Well you are doing wonderfully. You looked so graceful like a little swan." Kyoko smiled, "Do you get to do any plays or dances?"

"No, not yet." She frowned, "but they said when I'm in the next class I'll get to participate. I will join that class in June. Will you come and watch me?" She asked eagerly.

"Absolutely! I wouldn't miss it for the world." Kyoko beamed at the little girl. Maria started to rant about her dance classes. Then she started to show off some of the movies that she had learned to her big sister. Kyoko was so enraptured by Maria's enthusiasm that she forgot the reason she came in for.

"Alright students, places!" The teacher called out and Maria ran back then alarm showed on her face. She quickly went to a row of bags against the wall and pulled out the little paper she came for.

"Here, Onee-sama." She handed her the paper and smiled brightly at Kyoko. Kyoko thanked her as Maria ran back into line. She wanted to smack herself. She was going to see if she could get the information about this adventure out of Maria. Her choices were to wait for the class to end or continue it blindly as she has been doing. She watched for a moment as they started to point their foot to the side and in front of them. The teacher called it a tendu step. She was lost in the class and didn't see an end in sight so she decided to just read the next clue.

_Step out into the light _

_and proceed to the right._

_If your path is true_

_You will find your would be knight._

_Find his white horse_

_and a store with black brew,_

_where he awaits with your next clue._

Kyoko smiled. She has met with almost everyone that meant something to her today. It would make sense that he would also be involved. Still, she was going to cream him if he knew all this was happening since this morning. Kyoko stepped outside and started walking to the right heading south. She was a little embarrassed to say that she never really noticed what was in the area of LME.

There were lots of little stores and some office buildings. There was a bank and a lawyer's firm. There were a lot of little food places that were dwindling down from the lunch crowd. She didn't understand what store she was supposed to find. She looked for a bar of some sort but really didn't think there was one in this neighborhood.

She walked down to the end of the block and crossed the street and then found herself once again at the end of the next block and crossed the street. On the fourth block down, she reread the note. It didn't say how far down to walk just to turn right and walk. She decided to walk a little further down. They did have her go almost across town to see Kanae. It shouldn't surprise her to walk a good distance to reach Kuon.

The office buildings left and more popular stores such as clothing and nick knack stores popped up. It was closer to three by now and the schools have let out. Lots of girls and boys in their cute little school uniforms were filling the streets spending their lunch money on things they didn't need. She wasn't being careful as she should be out on the streets and soon whispers started to flood the area.

"Excuse me, are you Akane-san from Red Ribbon?" A young voice drew Kyoko's attention and she turned towards it. There was one lone girl about 15 and then three of her friends stood a bit away hiding behind a tower of sunglasses.

"Yes, I am." Kyoko put on her professional smile with a small blush. She didn't think she would ever get use to being recognized. The teen girl smiled and hoped up and down on the balls of her feet.

"Could I get your autograph, please?" She was all smiles as Kyoko nodded and took her school notebook.

"What is your name?" She asked. She wasn't in a hurry so she could personalize it for her. She didn't get to interact with her fans much so it was a treat for her as well.

"Izanami." She squealed and turned to her friends calling them over. The three girls came rushing forwards and Kyoko signed each of their notebooks.

"Oh! Can we get a picture with you too, please?" Another girl asked and Kyoko nodded. They took out their cell phones and they took a picture each. She sort of wished she was dressed better than jeans and a long sleeved shirt but they didn't seem to mind. She will have to remember to dress up whenever she went out.

Granted she didn't think she was going out today. As soon as she pleased the four girls and they left star struck, a group of boys came up to her asking for autographs and pictures, and then another… and another. Kyoko started to panic. She saw her savior in the form of a store manager. She was loitering in front of a popular teen clothing store and drawing in a rather large crowd.

Unfortunately, instead of breaking up the crowd, he invited them all in. He saw free advertisement and started thrusting clothes into Kyoko's hands as if she always shopped there. She handed the clothes off to the closest person next to her and started to try and walk out. So many voices and questions where being thrown at her that she didn't know what to respond to.

"No… I'm sorry." An arm tugged at her sleeve and she pushed it away. She felt their hand try and keep a hold on her but the cloth prevented it.

"I really need to be going." A hand grabbed hers and she slipped out of it.

"Excuse me please. Thank you, I really appreciate it." She felt someone grab her butt rather forcefully. That was the final straw. She pressed her lips together and pushed forward. She was thankful that the clothing racks weren't allowing everyone to flood her and she was able to escape intact if not a little used.

She ran onto the street and hailed the first cab that would come to rescue. The throng of teenagers rushed around her as she waved her hand into the air. _Hurry up, hurry up! _She smiled and nodded and signed any piece of paper that came into view. Finally, she saw a cab driving down the street and she walked towards it, the group of fans following. She didn't see the cab slow down and she was a little worried to that he wouldn't stop.

Kyoko raised something inside of her that she hasn't needed in a while and some of her fans stood still in confusion. Her little demons rushed to the cab making it swerve slightly, slow down and then gracefully come to a stop beside her. The little demons disappeared and the crowd started to rush forward again. She smiled brightly and quickly slipped into the cab and locked the door.

"GO! Hurry!" She saw hands and faces appear next to her and she waved and smiled at them as the cab started rolling.

"Where to?" He asked.

"Just straight for now, please." She replied and let herself relax from the mini mob. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and then opened them to find her hands covered in little ink marks from pens. Look like one of them was busted too; her middle finger had a big black ink mark on it.

"Geez." She licked her hand and tried to rub it off.

"Rough day?" The driver asked politely. Kyoko smiled at him and really didn't know what to say.

"Sort of. My boss decided to play a little game with me and I've been all around town looking for people with little poems. It's actually kind of fun until I got recognized." Then she smiled. "Though now that I think about it that was also fun, scary but fun." She then smiled brightly at the driver which he couldn't help but return a version of his own.

"I don't mean to be rude, since I don't know you, but what do you do that would make you be recognized?" The driver was looking at his rear view mirror trying to place her face.

She shook her head, "It's fine, I haven't appeared in much. I'm an actress from LME."

"Ah, that explains it. I really don't get a chance to watch much TV or movies. My wife and daughter watch a lot though. What have you appeared in?"

She listed her little resume. Which was actually quite a bit but to modest Kyoko and how she compared herself to Kuon, she still felt very new.

"Wait… You are dating Tsuruga Ren right?"

Kyoko blushed, "Well he gave up that name and is using his birth name Hizuri Kuon, but yes, I am."

"Yeah! I remember my family loves talking about you two, about Japan's favorite couple and how good you guys look together. They kept talking about how they loved how you met and that they should make a movie about it." He laughed as Kyoko's blush got darker and darker.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to embarrass you. How long have you two been together now?"

Kyoko did the math quickly in her head, "One year, two months." As soon as she said she couldn't believe her own words. It couldn't have been that long already, could it? She took a deep breath in shock.

"Good for you. Wait till my girls here that I had Kyoko in my cab. They are just going to flip. Do you think I can get an autograph for them?"

"Of course." The driver reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a book and then a pen from somewhere. He handed it to her. It was a crossword puzzle book. She smiled, "What are their names?"

"My wife's name is Jun and my daughter is Nana." Kyoko wrote out a little message to both of them thanking them for their kind words about her relationship with Kuon. She honestly thought most would do nothing but badmouth her as soon as they found out she was dating Tsuruga Ren and even more Hizuri's only son. The fact that this man's family thought they looked good together gave her warm fuzzies.

She handed the book back and the man just beamed. "Oh man. Thank you so much, Kyoko-san."

"It's not a problem."

"So where do you want to go? The road is about to end up ahead."

Kyoko looked out and sure enough he was right. She looked around and didn't even recognize the area she was in. "Oh, um, I'm not really sure where I am supposed to go from my next clue. Do you think you could help me out?"

"Sure! I love puzzles." The driver pulled over and she hooked her arm over the front seat so she could talk to him. He read the note and chuckled a little at the silly rhyme.

"Do you know who it is talking about?"

"Yeah, it's Kuon. At least I hope it is. Most of the time, I can get the person quickly. It's the place that I have trouble with. It talks about brew so I thought beer. But I couldn't find a bar on this street. Do you know of one?"

"Hmm… Yes, but I really don't think you should be going into it. What is this about a white horse?"

"I really don't know. I think I would have seen a white horse in the streets of Tokyo." The both laughed in agreement so they ignored that part.

"Well brew can stand for any type of beverage that was prepared in some way, beer or tea. But black brew, I think they are talking about a coffee shop. There are several coffee shops along this street."

Kyoko groaned. She felt so stupid. Of course, it was a coffee shop. She smiled slightly embarrassed to the driver, "You're right. It has to be a coffee shop." She sighed and sat back as he made a U-turn going north.

"So if you knew that the note was talking about your boyfriend, why not just call him and find out where he was?" The driver asked.

"I tried that with my friend at the gym. She told me she wasn't allowed to help me figure it out. She ended up helping me at the end since I had no idea where her gym was at. Kuon loves teasing me so he won't tell me if I asked. In fact, he would probably make something up to mislead me the bully." She pouted but the man laughed.

"If that is the face you make when he bullies you, then it's no wonder he does it. Goodness girl, you need to be careful looking that cute."

Kyoko blushed a deep dark crimson which only made the man laugh harder. They arrived at the first coffee shop which was the farthest from LME. She didn't know how many there were but he was willing to stop at all of them. She stepped into the shop. It was rather large so she took the extra time to look around. He wasn't there.

"Nope." She shut the car door and they went to the next one.

About two blocks down, there was another but on the wrong side of the road. She really didn't think he would be in this one either but she didn't want to take a chance. She hopped out and this one was much smaller than the other so it was quick. Nothing, he wasn't there. They continued to drive down. They stopped at a little deli that served coffee along with small sandwiches and pastries just as a precaution. Nothing. Kyoko was about to give up hope when he was coming close LME.

"We are about to hit LME and the dance studio I came out of." She sighed, "He probably already left one of the shops behind us."

"Well there is one more right here. If he isn't here, do you want me to take you somewhere else?"

"No, actually, I'll just stop here. If he isn't in this one then I'll just walk back to LME and talk to the President personally." Kyoko looked at the little meter and raised an eyebrow at the price and then she looked at the clock. It was just after three. How in the world did it get so late? She didn't even remember what time she left Maria's studio or how long she was walking. Either way, she doubted that Kuon would still be there.

"Thank you so much for your help. Please be safe." She paid the man and he smiled sweetly at her. As soon as she got out of the cab, a cold breeze came rushing towards her. She shivered and wished she had brought her jacket with her. Still, she didn't think she would be out.

She hopped onto the curve and embraced the heat that came out of the coffee shop as she opened the door. She stepped inside and looked around. This wasn't as big as the first but big enough to where she couldn't see everything all at once. She walked around a couple of small tables trying to look in the corners and hidden places. She past by a booth when a hand captured hers.

She jumped and yanked her hand out of the man's grip. She was about to scream bloody murder once she saw his handsome smiling face. Then she thought about it again.

"No, I really do want to kill you." She said and threw the notes on the table. "You knew about this since this morning, didn't you!"

"Now, now, I just got this note this afternoon from Yashiro-san and your hands are freezing. Sit down." He scooted over and she plopped down next to him.

Kyoko sighed as soon as his warm hands took her icy ones, "I've been running all around town trying to figure this thing out. After Sawara-san, I went all the way to the eastern side of town to find Moko-san at her gym, then I had to come back to find Maria at her dance studio." She paused and looked at Kuon.

"Did you know she dances?" He nodded but she continued, "She dances very well. She looked really cute in her ballet tights. I bet it would be cuter with a little tutu." Kyoko used her free hand to made little dancing motions with her fingers on the table making Kuon smile.

"Are the clues really difficult?" He picked one of them up and read it.

"Hmm… sometimes, the first ones were really simple and I knew I had to find Kanae for this one." She pulled up Kanae's poem, "The problem was that I didn't know where she worked out at. So I called her to find out where she was, well after she told me that she was at the gym." She added guiltily but continued.

"Moko-san then wanted to show me the gym and we had lunch. Don't ever eat at Hayashi's sushi. Yuck." She made a face and which made Kuon snicker.

"Then I didn't know Maria danced so that added another challenge. Moko-san figured out that it was talking about dancing and that she probably studied at LME. She doesn't by the way." She added. "Luckily some of the dancers at LME told me where she studied. That was rather quick." Kyoko paused took her hand from his and rubbed them together. She was starting to feel her fingers again.

"Any better?" He looked at her, "Where is your jacket?"

"I didn't bring one." She saw his smile disappear into a frown, "Well, I didn't know this would be taking this long. If I knew that I would have brought one."

"Come here." He lifted his arm and put it around her shoulders. She blushed. She wasn't really one for public displays of affection and he knew this. However, it wasn't because she didn't like it. It was because she was scared of it moving to far in a bad location. She would hate for the press to have a picture of her frenching her boyfriend. She moved in a little closer to him, his warmth and heady scent enveloping her immediately. She smiled as he gave her a small kiss on the top of her head.

"Thanks." She whispered. If they were alone she would have put her head on his shoulder but not right now.

"Do you want some coffee? It will warm you right up." He offered.

"No, I should probably take your clue and let you go to your next job. Where is Yashiro-san by the way? Wait…" she groaned, "Is he someone I have to find too?"

Kuon's smile widened, "I don't think so. He has been with me all day. Though he did step out about ten minutes ago. He went to get us some food. He should be back soon."

"Food? It's almost 3:30. Let me guess this is your lunch and dinner?" He looked away and Kyoko laughed.

"What am I going to do with you?" She asked.

"Love me?" He whispered into her ear and she flushed again.

"I already do." Her voice was soft, barely a whisper. She felt his hand at her chin and she turned to look at him.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked and she glanced around the room. She licked her lips. She would love a kiss right now so she nodded. His face softened into something dark and seductive as he leaned in making her body throb to her hammering heart beat. She closed her eyes and tilted her head to her right and she felt him press his lips against hers.

She could never breathe when he kissed her. It was like he stole her life away every time he touched her like some sort of incubus. She's never told him that of course. He would probably laugh at her and then act offended since she called him an evil seductive demon. Still, if he was, she didn't think she would argue with him stealing bits of her life.

The kiss grew into something more before she noticed it. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her arms crept up his chest with her right hand cupping his face. His lips softly suckled hers as his hand slowly pulled her closer to him. There was a light cough in front of them and Kyoko pushed away.

Yukihito was grinning from ear to ear as he caught them making out, in a coffee shop no less. He had two small containers of ramen from a nearby shop. He placed one in front of Kuon and then sat down in front of them.

"I see she found you. How's it going Kyoko-chan?" He asked. Kyoko looked up at him embarrassed but put on a brave smile.

"Good. Very good. How are you, Yashiro-san?" Kyoko tried to swallow her complete disrespect in the coffee shop.

"I'm wonderful! Why today has to be the best day ever. I'm so looking forward to tonight, I'm so exci…" Kuon started to cough loudly cutting off his talkative manager.

"Are you okay, Kuon?" She patted his back, "Do you need water?" Kuon nodded and Kyoko left to get him some. As soon as she came back, Yukihito was grinning to himself but quieted down and Kuon was casually stirring his ramen.

"Um. Is everything okay?" She handed the paper cup to Kuon and he took it with a smile.

"Yes, everything is fine." Yukihito answered with a contained smile.

"So what is happening tonight that you are all excited about?"

Yukihito opened his mouth to talk but Kuon stepped in first, "Yukihito is getting a puppy, a shiba **Right**?" Kuon stressed the word right which made Kyoko glance at him.

"Right, yes. I always wanted a dog. I'm meeting with a breeder… later?" He glanced at Kuon and he nodded. Yukihito continued, "So I might be getting one. I'm very excited. It's a **big commitment**." He stretched out the two last words and then the table jerked causing Yukihito's ramen to spill over.

"OH! Be careful!" Kyoko jumped up and ran to get a towel to clean it up with. When she came back, Yukihito was gone and Kuon was placing paper napkins to help soak up the spilled broth.

"Where did Yashiro-san go?" She started to clean up the mess, putting the noodles back into the bowl. A worker came over with more towels and helped clean up.

"He went to the restroom to try and save his suit." He sounded smug about it which made Kyoko eye him curiously. He just smiled and started to eat his meal. As soon as she was done she sat back down and gathered her clues.

"Can I have yours?"

"Oh, yes, of course." He pulled it out of his coat pocket that was sitting next to him and handed it to her, "If you had such trouble finding this place, why didn't you just call me to ask where I was?"

"Moko-san said she wasn't allowed to help. I thought you would be under the same restriction."

He shook his head, "No one told me not to help you."

She laughed sadly, "Geez, now you tell me." She opened up the next note and read it to herself.

_Though flamboyant he may be_

_with style enough for three._

_At the top of the tower he will be_

_that is a second home to thee._

"Oh, finally I get to the end. This one is taking me to President Takarada." She said relieved.

"Are you not having fun with this?" Kyoko turned to look at him. His voice sounded concerned, almost sad in fact.

"It's not that it isn't interesting. It's fun how the poems describe everyone. It's just I don't understand why I'm doing this. I get that Okami-san took Corn to make me do this." Kyoko smiled at Kuon who looked shocked, "Yeah, I figured if she pinned the note on my door then she must have taken Corn too."

"I just feel like there is some sort of greater plot to this, like some sort of announcement. I just can't figure out what. I already made my debut, I'm out of LoveMe. It's closer to your birthday than mine." A dark thought crossed her mind and she grew pale. She slowly turned her head to Kuon.

"This isn't about Vain Day, is it?"

Kuon laughed, "Why are you still calling it that? It's called Valentines Day."

She shook her head, "It's a horrible day. That and White Day. Both should be wiped out of existence."

"You didn't like my white day gifts?" He pouted playfully.

"No, I mean yes. Of course I did. It's just you didn't have to do that for me." She blushed remembering the weekend trip he planned for them.

"Of course I did. I had to give the girl I love my gift of appreciation." He said with such ease, it made her blush.

"But, but you buy me things all the time." She started out shyly then she turned to him sharply, "I wish you wouldn't do that by the way."

"I like making you smile." He admitted which made her smile and blush.

"There are better ways, less expensive ways." She leaned against him slightly, "I'm smiling now." She looked up at him with a big grin, "See"

He laughed and hugged her briefly, "I'm not going to stop so you'll just have to deal with all my little presents. Besides, I don't believe in buying you gifts only on days the calendar deem special. Everyday is considered a holiday when I'm with you."

"Cheesy." She teased him but she really couldn't help huge dopey smile on her face when he said it. Yukihito came out of the restroom with a big wet spot on the side of his suit jacket and a frown. He glared at Kuon for a moment as he gathered his things from the table.

"We should probably get going if you want to get to your next appointment." Yukihito didn't sound upset but Kyoko noticed a big difference from friendly to professional. Perhaps they were just about to get late so he wanted to enforce the importance of leaving now.

"Oh, it's already 4. Yes. I'll call you tonight and tell you what happens okay?" Kyoko slipped out of the booth to let Kuon out. He smiled at her as he stood up and took her hand.

"Sounds good. Do you want a ride to LME?"

"It's right next door, Kuon."

"No, It's almost a quarter mile down. Do you want a ride?" He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile as she shook her head.

"No. I'll be fine, thank you." She walked him to his car. Yukihito stepped in first allowing them a little privacy. She blushed as his hand cradled her face. She knew what he wanted and like always she found it difficult to deny him. She leaned up and he smiled. The kiss was chaste and quick since he had to go. She stepped back to allow him to open his car door.

"Hey," His call made her look up, "Have fun with this, today. Nothing bad can come from this if the mastermind involved all your loved ones."

She cocked her head to the side and thought about it. Then she smiled, "You're right. Still did they have to take Corn?"

Kuon laughed, "I'm still right here."

"True. I rather my stone be stolen than you. Be safe."

"Will do." He opened his car door and she watched him as he shut the door. Her eyes flickered to the side and she leaned down. Kuon frowned as Kyoko crept closer to his car rather than back away so he could leave.

"What's wrong?" He asked as she started to smile and then started to laugh. Both men looked at each other and then at her. Kuon stepped out of the car to see what she was laughing at.

"What's so funny, Kyoko-chan?" Yukihito asked as he left his seat and started to make his way to the other side of the car.

"Your clue. It mentioned a knight and his white horse… a car is a modern day horse and then look at the symbol on your car," she said giggling.

They looked to where she was pointing and then Kuon laughed. His car was a Porsche and the symbol was a little horse printed in the middle of an old fashion knight's flag. It was perfect.


	4. Corn?

Kyoko felt much better after her visit with Kuon. She never thought she could have this in her life to be so affected by the one you love that anything bothering you instantly disappears. Well, she had Corn. That little stone helped her so much throughout the years - but now she had Kuon and there was simply no comparison.

The walk up to LME was short, which she was thankful for. The sun was starting to set and the wind was picking up. She had all the clues rolled up in her hand like a scroll. No one told her that she had to keep them, but for some reason she felt like she had to, to prove that she completed the game or for some sort of keepsake for herself.

As the clue had said, Lory was at the top of his tower. What surprised her and pleased her to no end was that Jelly Woods was there too.

"Woods-san!" Kyoko lit up like a Christmas tree and half ran, half walked over to them.

"Evening, Kyoko-chan." She was standing beside Lory's chair in a matching costume. She was dressed up in a lavish gold dress that hugged her torso and then fell widely at her hips. There were so many different stones and designs on the corset that it would take days to describe it. Her hair was pinned up with artful curls that fell around a small modest tiara. Lory was wearing an elaborate gold coat that was a perfect match to Jelly's. Underneath the coat was a billowing red ruffled shirt, and sitting on top of his curled dark hair was a crown that looked a little too real for her comfort.

"I see you finally made it Mogami-san," King Lory said with a little smirk on his lips.

"Yes! I finally made it to the end. Was this a trial run for something you are planning for later?" She sat down on the empty chair before his desk, "I think instead of claiming to steal something of theirs, you should just explain that there is some sort of prize at the end of this. I think you'll get a more positive response," Kyoko conveyed.

Lory smirked. "That is good to know, thank you, but I hate to tell you this isn't the end." He said as he held up another rolled up scroll. Kyoko wanted to collapse.

"There's more?" she whined.

"I'm just another step. But unlike the others, I have a gift. Jelly, if you would please take Mogami-san."

"Oh it would be my pleasure!" the witch smiled, and lifted her heavy skirt to gather the confused girl.

"Wait? What is all this for? I thought this was your game for something!" At this, Lory laughed loudly.

"Mogami-san, if I was doing this you would most definitely know. I wanted to help, but he wouldn't let me. Said I would blow it out of proportion, and it would lose its effect. What utter nonsense, why I would have …."

As Lory was talking, Jelly understood that he was going to go into one of his rants, and to make sure he didn't ruin the whole day; she took Kyoko's hand and started to pull her away into the room they had set up.

Since it was Jelly who was fixing Kyoko up, they finished before Lory finished his rant.

".. then there would be fireworks and dancers from Brazil. At the perfect time, I would have come up riding on a…."

"Darling…" Jelly called out, making him stop. "She's ready. Come take a look."

Lory smiled and looked at the door that Jelly emerged from. Kyoko wasn't as timid about stepping out into the light like she was with Setsuka. While she still blushed, it was mostly because of how beautiful she felt. She gingerly stepped out completely covered in a rich dark purple cape that fell down to her ankles. The only thing showing was her sweet face and her tiny feet in simple white slippers.

"Come now, show him the pretty dress." Jelly pouted and then looked at Lory, "It's perfect for where she is going. It matches perfectly!"

"Where am I going?" Kyoko asked as she started to move the cloak behind her shoulders.

"Ah, you'll find out soon enough," Jelly teased.

The dress felt like a summer dress to Kyoko. It was an off white color with a corset that hugged from her torso down to her hips. The bodice had laces in a shape of a very narrow V going from the top of it all the way down to her belly button. She was thankful that there was something underneath the laces, while it was tied tight enough not to show anything improper, she would still have skin showing from her tummy up. The skirt was cut at an angle going from the middle of her right thigh down to her left knee.

The sleeves were her favorite part. The dress revealed her shoulders, but there were sleeves completely separate from the dress. The sleeves were slipped onto her arms to cover her biceps and laced down to her elbow to hold it in place. From there the material just hung freely with a slit that allowed her forearms to be free. Lastly she wore a white lace choker that dipped slightly in the center with a deep purple and blue butterfly pendent. Her hair and make-up were also taken care of. She had small white gardenias woven into an elaborate design in her hair. Her make-up was so natural it almost seemed like she wasn't wearing any, but there was a slight gloss to her lips and the barest of color to her cheeks and eyes that drew a person's attention.

"Since you two are dressed like royalty, shouldn't I be dressed as a servant girl?" She felt like she was a rich guest instead of the peasant she truly was.

Lory threw his hands up in the air in mock frustration, "Mogami-san, tonight you are royalty. Tonight you are the princess of LME." He walked up and took her arm in his and Jelly ran up and took the other arm in hers.

"Now, Let's get you to the ball. He didn't want me to do this, he wanted to just have you appear there on your own and not even dress up for the occasion. This is a bi.…"

"Darling…" Jelly threatened, and Lory just smiled down at the confused Kyoko.

"Never mind. I have a limo waiting for you to take you to your next spot. It is waiting for you at the east side of the building. You can't miss it."

Kyoko grimaced, "It's not your personal one is it?" The big ugly yellow one? she added in her head.

"No, this one is more appropriate to the occasion," he smiled kindly to her.

"Thank you Takarada-san, but I thought I was supposed to do this on my own?" Not that she minded getting an escort to the next spot, but she thought he would be one to play the no help rule Kanae played. Lory loved making any game more difficult.

"I'm just providing you with transportation, not helping you figure out the next clue," Lory said with a sly smile, "I can't have one of my princesses walking around as it grows dark." He handed her the next clue and shooed her off.

Kyoko sighed and then secretly smiled to herself. She twirled around in the hallway, making the cloak lift slightly into the air around her. Then she felt something shift in her hair and she froze. She panicked slightly, and ran to the window. It wasn't a perfect reflection, but she was able to see that nothing had gone wrong everything was still in place. She smiled to herself, and started to make her way down stairs.

LME was used to seeing people roaming the halls in all different sorts of costumes, ranging from cowboys and Indians, to Arabian thieves and medieval pirates. Seeing Kyoko shouldn't have made one lick of difference.

It did.

Kyoko glided down the hall and into the elevator. The two men inside looked up briefly, looked away, and then promptly snapped their eyes back onto the vision that had stepped inside. She smiled politely at them as she turned and pushed the button for the ground floor. She didn't notice the two men looking at her in a daze as her flowery scent filled their senses, making their hearts hum.

She uncurled the latest piece of the puzzle and read it.

If things are unclear

don't worry the end is near.

The last of your trips

is with the Ruler of the Lunar Eclipse.

He'll be waiting for you

where Mio shined through

to guide you down

to Corn's holding ground.

She smiled. Mio meant Dark Moon. The elevator door dinged and she walked out leaving two dazed men behind. Several people did a double take as she walked to the east exit. Conversations stopped and whispers started behind her as she past. Kyoko was too busy thinking about the clue.

"Ruler of the Lunar Eclipse?" If it was about Dark Moon that meant it had to be the Director, Director Ogata. She hadn't seen him in ages. She was always a little upset that she couldn't commit to his next project. By the time his idea was funded and casting had started, she was already committed to a new project. She did promise the next project he had for her would be her first priority.

When she stepped outside, she immediately shrugged the cloak back around her. The cold winter day was worse in this flimsy dress. She hugged the cloak as close to her as she could and looked up to find the limo. She sighed. It wasn't his personal yellow limo, but this was just as massive and eye catching in bright white, and from the bad overhanging light she could tell it even glittered.

There was a driver waiting for her. Apparently, they told him what to look for, because he didn't ask who she was, just simply opened the door for her with a bow. She smiled kindly to him, stepped up to the door, but then stopped.

"Um, I need a moment to figure out where we are going. I'm sorry. I'll try and be quick." She started to bow and he raised his hand.

"Please take your time, Mogami-sama." His voice was deep and professional, nothing less from a hired man of Lory's. Kyoko stepped into the limo and the driver closed the door behind her. She instantly felt better away from the wind. Reading the note again, it really didn't give much in location. It was just talking about Dark Moon.

"Where Mio shined through." She whispered to herself. She glanced outside. The sky was almost completely dark which meant it was already after five. Going back to the clue, she mumbled through her thoughts.

"Mio first started at the school, but the school would be closed right now. Granted they could have asked for the school to open just for this, and I really shouldn't put it past who ever is doing this." She nodded to herself. It didn't hurt to look.

"Could you please take me to Shinijuku Yamabuki High School?" The driver nodded. It didn't take very long to get there, and she quickly found out that it was, in fact, closed. They circled the area, but she didn't see a way in or someone waiting with an elephant or some other crazy thing.

They parked, and she read the note again. She thought of the places that she played Mio. It wouldn't make sense to go out of the city to Karuizawa or to go to any location that Mio wasn't in.

"Dark Moon is a Fuji TV drama," she whispered to herself and then raised her voice, "Let's try Fuji TV."

"Yes, miss." If he was annoyed by her guesses, he didn't show it. He seemed to be content driving her around the town all night if he had to. She really hoped he wouldn't have to do so. This trip took about twenty minutes with rush hour in full swing.

Fuji TV was massive, taking up about one square mile of land. It wasn't that the buildings were massive, there were just so many of them. She knew the place well since she did both Dark Moon and Box R here. She didn't want to take any chances though, and just went into the main building.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Director Ogata Hiroaki." Kyoko said softly.

"And who is ask…" The secretary finally looked up and was rendered speechless. She had seen a lot of strange happenings working there, but some things still surprised her. She coughed to clear her throat, then licked her lips to try again.

"Who is asking?" she finally said.

"Kyoko from LME. He should be expecting me."

"Oh, I didn't recognize you, Kyoko-san. You have changed since Mio. Yes, um…" The woman typed into her computer and read something off her screen, "Director Ogata has studio 3 booked. Are you filming something there?" She asked curiously.

Kyoko laughed embarrassed, "I'm not really sure to be honest. Just that I'm suppose to meet him. Studio 3, right? May I ask what it says it's for?" She smiled sweetly at the woman who seemed a little star struck.

"Sure. Let's see…" she read the screen again, "It doesn't say much but they hooked up a water system there and had to call in some landscapers. Looks like he is going all out for whatever he is filming."

That didn't help at all. Water? Landscapers? It was like he was growing a garden or something. Only one way to find out. She thanked the woman, headed back to the limo and directed the driver to studio 3. It didn't take long for her to see that she was in the right place. There at the entrance to the studio stood a man in pure white. Ogata - usually very pale with his skin and hair color - was beet red. She smiled as the limo crept closer.

He was wearing a costume that she was sure came from Lory. He looked like a footman of English royalty. He had on white breeches tucked into white stockings around his calves. His shoes matched perfectly with the little heel and the large tongue. He had a large English coat with elaborate gold embroidery on the edges. There were large gold loops that kept his coat closed with large gold buttons. The gold embroidery lined all the way up around his collar and then again around the cuff of his sleeves. He looked so princely.

When the limo stopped in front of him, he rushed to open the door for her. She couldn't stop grinning when he bashfully bowed down to her.

"Good evening, Kyoko-chan," he said softly.

She giggled, "It's so good to see you Ogata-san. Why are you so red?"

Ogata stood up and ran his hand nervously over his jacket, "I'm not used to dressing up like you are. I'm a behind the scenes person. I don't ever dress up, especially not like this." He turned darker as he spoke, making Kyoko laugh.

"But you look wonderful. Very handsome." It was 100% truth. She already thought him princely, well at first princess-like, but in this she could see he was all male.

He looked away at the compliment and then held his arm out to her, "I am to escort you inside."

She smiled and took his arm, "I'm guessing you don't have my Corn stone either?"

"Your Corn stone? I'm afraid I don't know what that is, sorry." He held the door open for her and she stepped in. The stage area was to her right. When she turned all she saw were trees and shrubbery, like a small forest. If she listened carefully she could hear water. No doubt it was to keep all the plants alive.

"Wow! How did you do all this?" She stepped towards the stage in awe. The whole place was lit as if it were daylight.

"Well, let's just say it took a few weeks to complete - all for tonight." Kyoko heard his words very close to her and jumped when his fingers pulled at her cloak. He smiled softly at her, no longer embarrassed about his costume. He wanted her cloak and that made her realize how warm it was inside.

"I can hold on to it." She offered as she undid the clasp.

"That's alright, I'm supposed to take it." He took the cloak and hung it over his arm. "Now, if you will just walk this way." He took her arm and led her to a specific spot in the "forest". As she got closer she noticed there was a little path.

"This is where you are on your own. The path is clear so you shouldn't get lost." He smiled brightly at her, "Good luck."

"Good luck for what?" she asked, but he just smiled and walked away.

Kyoko took a deep breath and looked at the stage. Her foot hit dirt and stones causing her smile to widen at the amazing detail of the stage. There was an incline and the trees were young, but there were so many of them that it felt like an old forest. She was thankful for the simple dress now - it didn't get caught on any of the brush or branches, and she was able to move through them with ease. The light seemed to get brighter, and she could see a clearing up ahead.

Her heart started hammering the closer she got. She felt a sense of familiarity with every step she took. She pushed through the last bit man made forest and froze as soon as she saw the brightly lit clearing. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move as a youthful face turned to see her walk out.

"Kyoko-chan! You're awfully late today. Did you forget I was here?" The young boy smiled at her cheerfully.

Her mouth went dry. It was Corn, really truly Corn - not Kuon but Corn, down from his blonde hair to his clothes and his sweet playful smile. She took a step forward and then another into the clearing. Her hand reached out to him and touched his face. He laughed at her.

"You feeling okay, Kyoko-chan?" He took her hand in his and pulled her out. She stumbled on all the rocks and she fell to the ground.

"Kyoko!" he yelled out in concern. "Are you okay?" He went to her and looked at her knees. She was fine, nothing got hurt, but she was still stunned.

"C…Corn?" she whispered, and he looked up at her with a bright smile.

"Yeah, the same as yesterday and the day before." He laughed and then stood up walking around. Kyoko looked all around her in wonder. Everything was the same. The large rock, the little stream and even the hamburger shape rocks they played with. She felt like she had stepped straight into the past.

It was Corn that she was stunned with. The similarity was scary but as she looked into his face she could tell it wasn't him. His eyes were slightly off, more Japanese and the smile wasn't the same. Plus, she knew in her heart it wasn't him. He grew up, she was dating him. Wasn't she? It was so long ago, what if she forgot what he looked like?

"Hey, Kyoko-chan. Watch!" She turned to look at the boy who was now standing on the rock.

"Oh! Be caref…" She gasped as he flipped into the air, much like the trick he did when she was younger and splashed into the water. He cheered that he made the landing and then turned to look at her. She laughed and clapped enthusiastically, but with tears starting to form in her eyes.

He came rushing forward as he noticed her watery eyes. She couldn't stop smiling as he crouched in front of her. His hand brushed up on her cheek as the first tear fell.

"Why are you crying?" He tilted his head to the side with a concerned frown. "Did you not get a 100 on a subject again?"

Kyoko laughed through her tears, and shook her head. "No, nothing like that. These are happy tears."

Corn laughed, "You're always crying." He stood up and reached in his pocket.

"Kyoko-chan, hold out your hand." Kyoko blinked up at the little boy who so reminded him of her fairy prince and did was she was told. She held out her right hand and while her mind knew what he was going to give her she was still surprised. He placed a blue purplish stone in her hand and more tears fell as she looked at her precious little stone.

"Look through it like this…" his voice called out to her and she smiled softly. She glanced at him and he was in the same position she remembered him in when he first gave it to her. She lifted the stone up into the light and it softly turned pink. She smiled and twisted the little stone around. She found it turned so many different colors in different angles. This was her most favorite thing in the world. She knew every little detail about it.

Kyoko turned to find Fairy Corn missing. She quickly looked around, and then looked behind her, and stilled. Her eyes went wide as her Corn, the real Corn, came out onto the stage with gold blonde hair. She could feel her heart hammer in her chest as he approached. He was so devastatingly handsome. Kuon wore a billowing white shirt split opened down the middle that showed off the hard planes of his chest. The shirt was tucked into a pair of tight black leather pants with knee high black leather boots. The leather encased his legs and slim waist, making him seem even taller. As he came closer, she could see his pants were tied with a simple black tie.

He smiled as he walked to her. Kyoko couldn't breathe, couldn't speak as she looked up at him. Finally, he was within touching distance. He bent down and took her hand. She saw herself shaking. Why was she shaking? She didn't understand why, but she knew she was nervous. He slowly straightened up, and she followed him mindlessly; stunned by the fact that he was here. He cupped her face, brushing the wet tear trails from her cheek as he looked at her adoringly.

Kuon took her hands in both of his and then kneeled down in front of her.

Kyoko started to hyperventilate and her sight started to get blurry. He chuckled softly and smiled up at her.

"Kyoko, I've love you since I was ten and we played together in this clearing, you, with your beautiful laugh and enchanting smile. I wanted nothing more than to stop your tears and make you laugh and smile every minute of every day. If I knew what I was leaving behind that week, I would have taken you to my fairy land."

Kyoko laughed softly with the tears running down her face, and Kuon continued.

"Now that I have you back in my life, I promise never to make such a stupid mistake again. You are my strength, my sanity and my heart. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, wiping away your tears." He brushed away her fresh tears, "making you smile" He ran his thumb across her lower lip making her smile wider "and laugh." He pinched her nose lightly, and she breathlessly laughed. He leaned in and kissed her hand then looked up at her again.

"Kyoko, will you marry me?"

She was choking on her own emotions. She licked her lips and tried to speak but just laughed again. She swallowed a lump and took a deep breath.

"Are…" She swallowed again, "Are you sure?" She asked. If he took back the proposal she wouldn't care. She would still stay with him. She loved him so much, but she never dreamed or hoped for this.

He laughed and nodded, "Yes. I'm sure." His hands reached up and cupped her face. He pulled her down for a salty kiss. She whimpered as he kissed her softly. She felt like her heart had exploded in her chest.

He pulled away and looked at her. "Marry me, Kyoko."

She smiled at him - and then threw herself at him. He laughed and caught her, his arms wrapping around her waist and hers around his neck. She couldn't stop the tears from falling, staining his white shirt.

"Is that a yes?" He asked since she never said anything and she started nodding vigorously.

She pulled away from him wiping her tears and laughing, "Yes. Yes. I'll marry you, Kuon. I love you. I'll always love you."

Kuon's face shined brighter than ever, and she gasped as she was lifted into the air. She braced herself against his shoulders with his hands at her waist. He spun around joyfully and her soul felt like she was flying. He slowly lowered her down for a kiss, his arms tightly wrapping around her.

"You have no idea how happy you've made me," Kuon whispered to her lips as their kiss broke and he set her down. She laughed and shook her head. She was about to speak, to ask how she could make him as happy as he made her. It just wasn't fathomable. He started pulling her towards the little path she had entered, making their exit.

She followed him through the brush, and he carefully led her through so there none of the braches back lashed to her. He would look back at her with a dazzling smile and then continue forward as if he had to reconfirm that she was truly with him. He thought he was the lucky one, but Kyoko knew she was. She lived this life completely unloved until he came along and showed her what it truly meant to love and be loved. She knew that her love for Sho paled in comparison to what she had with Kuon. If Kuon ever left her… she swallowed and her eyes started to water. She didn't think she would have the effort to breathe anymore.

That was not something she wanted to think about right now. She looked at his hand holding hers and followed his arm up to his shinny blonde hair. Her smile widened. He had never colored his hair back after he revealed himself to her and the world. He said he preferred the darker hair color. That it made him more dashing. She laughed at him then, thinking to herself that he would be gorgeous in any hair color. Now seeing him in his natural color, she was wrong. He was still handsome but instead of a dark, dare she say wicked look, he was now unearthly beautiful. It almost confirmed her original thoughts of him being a fairy prince.

But she wasn't that silly.

Soon the trees started to slowly reveal the studio ceiling. She almost wished she could spend the night here in the arms of her fiancée. She blushed at the word. She was getting married! Oh if only….

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

Kyoko was looking down minding her step down the slope when she heard the cheer. When she looked up, Kuon had stepped aside with a big smile on his face revealing absolutely everyone - Kanae, Lory with Maria jumping up and down, Jelly, Sawara, the Okami-san and Taisho, Yukihito, who was crying into his handkerchief, and many others. Some of the cast of Dark moon was there, Kijima and Momose, her crew from Box R and some new faces from her debut and others from LME.

Kyoko didn't know she could cry anymore as everyone she loved clapped and smiled, popped streamers, and threw confetti all over the room. A large banner hung overhead with Congratulations Kuon and Kyoko. There was a huge spread of food and even a live band. It felt like her first birthday with everyone all over again. She was so overjoyed that everyone was here to share this with her. She ran up into the group and hugged Kanae, who fully embraced back with a smile. Everyone hugged her while Kuon got handshakes from the men and hugs from the women. Some even brought gifts, which Kuon forced Kyoko to politely accept. They all said how happy they were for the couple and wished them all the luck and love in the world. Kyoko probably cried on everyone's shoulder that night.

In fact, if she recalled, the only other person who cried more than her was Yukihito.

* * *

**A/N: So when did you figure it out?**

**I am NEVER, ever, going to write another elaborate proposal again. This has got to be one of the hardest things anyone has ever had to do. My highest respect for those who were proposed or have proposed in some elaborate way because damn! Trying to think of something that Ren would actually be willing to do and something that Kyoko would like besides a sweet dinner under the stars and popping out with a ring was freaking difficult.**


	5. Diamonds

Chapter 5

Kyoko opened Kuon's front door and peeked inside the condo. She knocked the open door lightly to announce her presence and smiled as Kuon's face popped from around the corner.

"Kyoko, you don't have to knock. Just come in." He smiled at her, hiding his laughter. She blushed as she slipped off her shoes and stepped into the place with a small grocery bag in hand.

"I know. I'm just not…" She trailed off as she felt him approach. She could feel the heat on her cheeks heighten. She couldn't look at him as he came into view. His right hand appeared and she closed her eyes as his fingertips touched her face.

"You're not what?" His warm breath tickled her ear. He gently lifted her chin up and she slowly opened her eyes.

"…used to this," she whispered. His smile widened slightly as he leaned forward. She closed her eyes again as he pressed his lips softly against hers making her heart slow down and speed up at the same time. His right hand gently caressed her face as Kuon kissed her while his left found her waist.

Kyoko clenched the plastic bag in both of her hands. She was afraid - afraid of moving and breaking the contact, afraid that this was all some fantasy that was about to break the moment she did the wrong thing. After all this time with him - telling her how much he loved her, how he showed her every day he wasn't leaving, announcing their relationship to the world and then finally proposing, she was still afraid.

Kuon pulled away with the smile still on his lips and then kissed her forehead. He looked down at her, and she still had her eyes closed, her cheeks flushed and her lips slightly parted as if she was still kissing him. She blinked her eyes open as if she was waking up.

"You're going to have to get used to it," he told her, picked up her right hand and placed it over his heart. Kyoko smiled softly as she felt the strong beating of his heart, the warmth of his hand over hers. He gently caressed her face making her look up at him, "because you'll have this every day for at least the next 70 years of your life." She blushed as he raised her hand to his mouth and gently placed a kiss on the palm of her hand. His smile was half hidden behind her hand when he spoke, "Are you ready to go?"

"Um, I..." She side stepped around him, her hand slipping from his hold, "I thought I would make us lunch first," Kyoko offered and held up the plastic bag slightly. He smiled and followed her into the kitchen as she started pulling things out.

"We have to be there in an hour. Can you promise that we'll make it on time if you cook? Otherwise, I can take you out to eat."

Kyoko was nervous. Today, they were going to pick out her engagement ring. She honestly didn't even notice that he proposed without a ring. Her mind was only thinking about the fact that Kuon wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. It wasn't until he mentioned it when she remembered that there was supposed to be a ring. She told him it wasn't necessary. That she didn't care what the ring looked like or how much it cost. But Kuon being Kuon wanted the best and to make sure that she liked the ring she wore for the rest of her life.

"I promise we'll make it," Kyoko assured him. She only needed to do something while she waited and cooking for him always made her feel better. They ate a small meal and left with plenty of time to spare. Perhaps if Kuon was simply taking her to a normal jewelry story, she wouldn't feel so flustered.

First off, the place they were going to only allowed viewings by appointments. What kind of place doesn't allow walk-ins to view their product? Apparently, they did allow anyone to make said appointments, they didn't care if you were middle class or upper class but it was still by appointment only. They were headed to the Keyakizaka Dori section of Roppongi Hills. Kyoko had only ever heard of its reputation by word of mouth until recently. After dating Mr. Rich Boy, she had seen the inside of many of the stores that littered this section of Tokyo.

Every time she entered one of these stores, she felt shamefully underdressed. This one was no exception. It was a corner store elegantly designed with silver metal panels that matched the reflective windows. No one could see inside the store at all unless you looked through the glass doors. Kuon stepped in with confidence while she timidly walked beside him. The first thing she saw were two security guards standing beside the door, stoic and unmoving. Next was a saleswoman in a business suit that fit her body perfectly. The saleswoman smiled at them and bowed politely in greeting.

"Good Afternoon, we have an appointment under Hizuri," Kuon stated. He smiled a dazzling smile that often made all the women around him melt; little did they know that it meant absolutely nothing. Kyoko never understood the effect of that very impersonal smile. It paled in comparison to his real smile, but the results of it were always the same. The hostess' smile went wider and she flushed lightly. She probably thought he was flirting with her, the poor fool.

"Yes, of course, Hizuri-san. If you would please follow me, I'll get you started." She bowed again and turned to walk. Kyoko could have sworn that she was swinging her hips just a little more than before but decided to ignore it. The store was done all in rich dark brown colors. The wood for their counters were almost black and the carpet was also done in a rich chocolate color. Their display counters were upholstered in ivory and filled with glittery stones. She thought they were going to be escorted to one of the display cases but they skipped all of them and went to some rooms in the back.

"What is the purpose of your visit today?" the saleswoman asked politely.

"We are here to pick out an engagement ring for this beautiful woman," Kuon told her as he pulled Kyoko towards him, making her stumble against him. The sales woman's step faltered and coincidently returned to her normal walk.

"Kuon…" Kyoko whined and blushed in embarrassment. They were taken into a room with a comfortable couch that she was instantly afraid of sitting on. There was a small table in front of them cleared of anything, including dust. On the other side was a single overstuffed chair that matched the couch.

"The sales rep will be with you shortly. Until then would either of you like something to drink?" The now completely professional woman asked, and Kyoko immediately shook her head while Kuon asked for water. The woman left and returned quickly, not with bottled water like most places would do, but with a glass of ice cold water. He took a sip of the cold liquid as he watched his nervous fiancée. Kyoko was looking around the room as if something in it was about to suddenly come alive and attack her.

Kuon reached over and gently touched her arm. She jumped with a small shriek and then huffed in anger as he laughed and rubbed her shoulders as if that was going to make her relax in this place. A gentleman came in with two displays worth of rings and placed them on the small table in front of them. Kyoko immediately jumped out of her seat and bowed down at the man making the salesman smiled and bowed in return.

"Good afternoon," he greeted them, "I would like to thank you for choosing us for your needs. I hope you will find something to your liking." He sat down and displayed the items he brought in. Kyoko sat at the edge of her seat in awe of the glittering rings as he started his pitch.

"Here is our selection of engagement rings. We can do almost any cut, clarity, color and carat to fit your desires. These are only a few of our examples. You may pick one of these or we can customize it to your desire," he finished and there was a pregnant silence. Kyoko looked up at the man and realized he was speaking to her. She blinked and looked back at Kuon who was sitting back watching her.

"Um… He's buying it, not me," she stated and the man looked confused.

"Isn't the ring for you, miss?" he asked after glancing at the man behind her, then back at her.

"Y…yes but…" Kyoko stuttered and Kuon decided to chime in. He slid up next to her, putting his arm around her waist and looked at the rings. He picked up the one covered in the most diamonds possible. It was almost square like. It had a single solitary diamond and then looked like it had a bunch of smaller ones all around it. Then the band itself was covered all the way around with more small diamonds. The whole ring looked like it was made only out of the sparkling stones.

"How about this one?" He held it up to her and she started to panic.

"Do you realize how much this would cost?" Kyoko quickly took it from his fingers and put it back.

"I told you not to worry about the money. Simply pick something you like," he whispered to her temple, then kissed her. She blushed lightly but looked them all over and found the simplest with the smallest stone in the bunch. It was a simple white band with a simple round diamond on it, nothing more.

"Okay how much is this one?" She held it up to the man. He was about to speak but Kuon interrupted.

"No, don't tell her," Kuon snapped at the man. Kyoko turned wide eyes to him as he continued, "Kyoko if you don't pick the one you like, I'm going to buy them all and then you'll be forced to rotate through them. At least then you'll have the one you actually like." He said it calmly but she thought he was a little annoyed.

"You wouldn't dare!" She narrowed her eyes, challenging him. There was no way he could afford all these rings. He was bluffing.

He smirked at her, a dark smile that made her shiver. He stood up and took out two credit cards. "We'll take them all as they are." Kuon held them both out and Kyoko screamed.

"NO! WAIT! WAIT! THIS ONE! I WANT THIS ONE!" She quickly picked up the ring that actually caught her attention. Both men froze as she held out the ring. It was simple, but not overly so. It was single solitary band with a round diamond and small diamonds around the band. It was actually rather similar to the first one he picked up but this one seemed less gaudy somehow. She thought it was pretty.

"But I want that shape." She pointed at another ring. This one also caught her eye. It had a sweet heart shape diamond on the top and then there were two bands, one was the simple white band and the other was a band of yellow diamonds. She thought the band made it look tacky, but she liked the heart shape diamond.

Kuon eyed her as she looked up at him worried. He held her gaze for a moment and then smiled.

"That wasn't hard, right?" He picked up the ring from her fingers and then sat back down to kiss her. He caressed her face and then held the ring out to the sales man, who smiled politely.

"Would you like to pick out the stones for it?" The salesman asked. He placed the two rings Kyoko picked on a finger like stand and then gathered the rest of the rings to take away.

"Yes, please," Kuon replied as he sat back and sipped his water while Kyoko tried to swallow her heart back down. The man turned and left them alone. She didn't say anything to Kuon, and he started playing with her hair.

"Kyoko, don't be upset." He set his glass down and wrapped his arms around her.

"You'll be wearing this ring for the rest of your life. I wanted you to like it." He nuzzled her neck making her squirm. "Talk to me."

"I don't care about the ring. I would have been happy with something out of a cereal box." She finally looked up at him, her face completely serious to help emphasize her point.

"I know. You don't want the cars or the jewelry or the clothes. You don't want the fancy dinners or extravagant parties. Yet here you are, one of the top actresses in Japan, marrying another actor…"

"The top in the world," she interrupted with a proud smile.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," he countered, "but thank you." Kuon kissed her and continued, "You could have everything anyone could ever want and you don't care. That's why I love you. That's why I want you to have what you truly want because when do you ask for anything?"

"I want you," she whispered softly, her face growing red from her confession.

"And I want you," he growled lightly as his eyes went dark and her chest went tight. He pulled her in and kissed her with abandonment. It was moments like these that she tried to avoid. Kuon gripped her blouse tightly in his hand. She moaned against his mouth as he licked her lower lip. She felt his desperation, his need and she couldn't help but answer it. Kyoko reached out and touched him, wrapping her arms around him, her hands sliding up his back as she tasted his sweet assault. The kiss was overwhelming that she whimpered softly into his mouth. He tightened his hold on her, one hand holding her waist firmly, the other sinking into her hair.

She broke the kiss first, gasping for air. He never seemed affected, like he could kiss her for all eternity and never need to come up for air - like she was his air. His lips fell down to her neck and she opened her eyes to see the salesman reappear with a blush on his face.

She pushed away, but Kuon's grip stiffened. "Kuon, stop," she reprimanded as she slipped off his lap, and he reluctantly let her go.

_When did I get on his lap?_ She was burning with embarrassment as she stood and bowed. "I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to cause a scene."

The gentlemen laughed and bowed in return. "Please, miss. I understand love. There is no need to apologize," he said with an easy smile. He sat down as Kuon simply stayed sitting, smiling like he didn't care about getting caught making out in public while Kyoko tried to act like it never happened. He had a large flat black box in hand which he put down and opened it towards them. Inside were a bunch of little cubbies with dozens of little bagged up diamonds and each bag had writing on it.

"These are what heart shaped diamonds we have with us," the sales clerk started to explain, "If we don't have what you want, we can order it, but we do try to have every type at the store. All of them are cut as closely to the ideal as possible. We only carry slight inclusion to flawless diamonds, from near-colorless to colorless and we can get you any carat up to 3. Anything larger we will have to order."

"I don't understand what that means," Kyoko said, trying to follow. She could understand the words ideal, flawless, colorless, but apply those words to diamonds and she was lost.

"It's okay." Kuon smiled at her, squeezed her gently and then slipped his arm from around her waist. He then shifted into business mode. "How long would we have to wait if we ordered something larger?"

"It depends on the size, anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks with the delivery and creation of the ring, but sir, I wouldn't recommend anything larger than 3 carats for this particular ring." The man warned him. He was paid by commission, but he liked his clients to be happy with their choices. He took great pride in his work.

"Let's see the 3 carat's first," Kuon asked and the man promptly took out three small bags. Kyoko's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates the moment he displayed them while Kuon took one of the massive diamonds and held it against her chosen ring.

"Hmm… you're right. Anything bigger would make it look gaudy." Kuon confirmed.

"BIGGER!" Kyoko screamed. "Bigger than that! You wanted something bigger than that?" Both men looked at her in shock as she tried to remember to breathe.

"No, I just said I didn't, but we should be fine with this size." Kuon put the items back and spoke to the rep, "Set the ring with a 3 carat flawless and as close to colorless as possible.

"STOP! WAIT!" Kyoko cried. "That's too much! Smaller! Smaller! I can't go around town wearing that thing. It's bigger than my fingernail!"

Kuon laughed. "It is not." He picked the diamond up and held it against her index finger nail. "See, it's smaller."

"Barely," Kyoko scoffed. She turned to the rep with a pleading smile. "Can you please show me all the sizes?" The man did as he was asked, and Kuon wanted to groan. As soon as they were all displayed, she went to pick up the smallest stone.

"No," Kuon snapped.

Kyoko sighed. She went to the second largest stone and held it against the ring like Kuon had. She frowned. It was still way too big. She went down the row until she found one in the middle that she thought she could handle on a daily basis.

"Okay, this one. I can handle this one," she stated and gently set aside the diamond and put the ring back on display.

"That is 1.33 carats. Are the other specifications stated by Hizuri-san acceptable?" he asked Kyoko who in turned looked at Kuon. He gestured that it was her choice and she looked back worried.

"Um, may I see the differences?"

"Of course," he replied. Displayed before her was several of the exact same diamond. She shook her head. "They all look the same." She sighed. "Yes, whatever else he requested is fine since they don't seem to affect the size at all."

Kuon smiled. If only she knew that all the other things can cause the price to go up substantially. He leaned forward now that they were ready to proceed further and asked his next question, "Are the rest of the diamonds already preset?"

"Yes sir. The carat and shape cannot change but the stone or color can. It does not have to be white diamonds. We can put in any color the lady wishes, white, pink, red, blue or yellow." He pulled out an example of all the colors he had mentioned. She recognized the yellow but had never seen any of the other colors before.

"White is fine," Kyoko said as she peered at the stones in front of her.

"Fine? Just fine?" Kuon asked threatening.

"No! I mean yes! I like white. I prefer white. I didn't like the rings with the different colors. I swear!" Kyoko frowned as she saw Kuon's shoulders shake from laughter.

"When can we pick it up?" Kuon asked as the sales rep took Kyoko's ring size.

"Since everything is already in house, about a week for the size adjustment and to create the new setting for the stone," he answered as he gathered all his things. Once done, he left the room. Kyoko stood up to leave, but Kuon stayed seated.

"Aren't we going?" she asked, and Kuon smiled. Not a moment later, the salesman returned with six display cases and announced, "Now for your wedding bands."

Kyoko groaned and fell back onto the couch.


	6. Announcement

Chapter 6

It took them longer to pick out the wedding bands, but they found a set they both liked after some debate. The wedding bands didn't require anything special to be done to them other than resizing, so they would be able to pick them up with the engagement ring.

Kyoko was relieved to have that part done and over with. In a week, they would pick them up, and she would be forced to wear it for the world to see, which reminded her of another situation they would have to face as soon as they got her ring: the announcement. She was getting a little tired of press conferences about her personal life or Kuon's.

The first one being Hizuri Kuon's rebirth. Oh that was a doozy. He had won an award as Tsuruga Ren in America, and he felt it was time. Well, it actually took him a few months after winning that award to come clean to Kyoko and then to the public. He said he had to prepare himself mentally, not for fear of rejection from the world but of rejection from her. Kuon was busier than ever since he revealed his secret to the world. Then about six months after his debut as Hizuri Kuon, things slowed down. He only did movies now; it required less time and now gave more money. He still modeled, continuing his sponsorship with R Mandy and the other companies that signed him.

Next was the announcement of their relationship. Kyoko tried to prepare herself for it. She knew what was going to happen when they announced it to all of their fans, mostly his, that he was now seriously dating little Mogami Kyoko. Whispers and online blogs would rant and curse the poor actress almost to the ground in a matter of seconds, stories of being a gold digger after the Hizuri name, of charming the "poor innocent Kuon" with her manipulative ways.

Luckily, Lory and Kuon had a plan. It was her movie debut. It was her first true romantic role and her leading man was none other than the Hizuri Kuon. All of the advertisements and press were already raving about the movie and it hadn't premiered yet. The plan was as followed:

The movie opens and all of Japan falls in love with it and therefore the idea of Kyoko with Kuon. In one week, they announce their relationship and everyone accepts it.

She had her doubts about the idea. It seemed way too easy. The day finally came, exactly one week after the release of their movie, and he announced it casually in an interview. Kyoko stayed back stage chewing her nails off. His ratings dropped a fraction of a percent and most of the public accepted their coupling.

Now with him only doing movies, he had a lot more free time to spend with Kyoko. Her movie has gotten her increasingly more popular. She was doing two dramas at the moment. One was ending in another month, and the other being Red Ribbon which was still in full swing. She was forced to quit Bo though, which saddened her greatly but she made frequent appearances on the show as herself which helped make up the loss.

Now she had to face the public again with their engagement announcement. This time there was no movie to help ease the transition. It was only them and no one was worried but her. They have been dating for so long now without a hitch. Kuon wanted to wait till they had the ring. One of the most asked questions was to see the ring. Everyone agreed and then the whole thing was forgotten except by Kyoko.

She's gotten used to all the looks and fame she got from dating Kuon. She was sure that people out there thought they could steal him away at anytime and therefore let Kyoko have her fun with him until he got tired of her. With this upcoming revelation, it would up the stakes causing more people to hate her for stealing away Japan's sexiest man and America's up and coming hero from the dating market.

Kyoko flustered and voiced her worries throughout the week to her loved one, the first one being the next day at lunch. "What if we just got married and told no one?"

"That would upset the public more, not to mention I want to say that you are my wife. I want you to have my name." The look on his face when he said those sweet words instantly destroyed any thought of hiding their marriage. She nodded and thought about it some more. Two days later at dinner she had another idea.

"What if we make another movie together like last time? It could be a family comedy this time. Where we are married and have our first child. Then we can announce it a week after it premieres and everything will be okay."

Kuon smiled at her. "That does sound like a lot of fun. I would change a few things like it would have to be in a house."

"Of course, a family comedy is usually filmed in a house," she encouraged.

"And there would be no cameras," he continued making her smile disappear, "and we'd already be married with you pregnant with our actual first child." He smiled that fake dazzling smile she was so scared of in the past.

Kyoko gulped. "Okay bad idea."

His smile turned into something dark and sinful. "No, not at all. I love the idea." He slid over closer to her, capturing her within his arms and whispered, "So much in fact that we should start practicing for the child right now." He started to run his hands up and down her body as he lightly nibbled her ear.

"Kuon, I was being serious," she whimpered slightly.

He chuckled pulling away from her neck. "No darling that was not a serious request. I'm not waiting that long to marry you let alone announce it and neither is the Boss."

"But…" His lips pressed onto hers as she started to counter. His arms wrapped tighter around her as his mouth worked its magic on her making her forget what she was going to say.

Kuon pulled away with a hazy smile. "Everything will be fine. They accepted us as a couple and they will love that we are getting married," he assured her. Kyoko simply nodded in defeat and let him kiss her again. The rest of the week was pretty much the same, she thought of something ridiculous and he knocked it down. Until it was the day before they were scheduled to pick up their rings.

They were having dinner at a very nice traditional kaiseki-ryori restaurant. Kuon reserved a special solitary room for them. It was all done up with beautiful old fashion décor. From the paper doors, to the lavish silk screens and fans pinned on the wall. There were several little bonsai trees and a small water fountain for ambiance. All the waitresses had formal kimonos on. They performed the tea ceremony for them and then were left alone with the most wonderfully prepared meal.

"Mmmm, this is so good," Kyoko cooed. She ate yet another piece of the grilled fish. This place was absolutely perfect for Kuon, rich high class food in little portions.

"Why haven't we been here before?" She was curious and had to ask. "I thought you depleted all the high class restaurants to take me to." When they first started dating Kuon took her to a new restaurant every week, sometimes a few times a week. Not all of them were for dinner either, whenever he had time, he took her out, so she visited restaurants that catered to all times of the day.

"Well I never thought I could get you to agree to this one since it's about twice the price of the others…." Kyoko started to choke on a bit of plum that threatened to go down the wrong pipe.

"Kyoko!" He firmly patted her back as she gasped for air. She coughed as her throat cleared. She waved him off as soon as she was stable.

"Why are we here then? Twice as much…," she started to mumble and took a drink of extremely expensive water.

"Well, this is a special night so I didn't think you would mind," he said, his voice soft and endearing. She was wiping away the tears that clouded her eyes as he spoke so she didn't see him prop up on one knee.

"Special?" Kyoko started to panic. Was today some anniversary she forgot? What was today anyway? She was always very good with dates and times, numbers in general. She couldn't remember anything special about this day. "Why is tod…" She froze as she looked at him. Her breathing stopped as she found him before her much like the night he proposed but with an open ring box being held out to her.

"Kyoko, my one true love, will you marry me?"

She flushed bright red. "You already asked me that," she breathed out the words. She could barely hear herself speak them, but he smiled.

"I know," Kuon said bashfully, "but now that I have the ring, I thought to ask again in case you changed your mind." She looked at him wondering if he was actually serious in his doubts. Like anyone in the world would say no to this man.

Tears started to fall from her eyes as she watched him take the ring from the velvet box and hold out his hand for hers. Kyoko looked at his large hand waiting patiently and gingerly raised her left hand toward it. She felt little shocks run down her hand and arm as soon as her fingertips touched him. She thought for sure he was going to snatch her hand like a jolt making her scream but he didn't. He smiled softly at her and held still as she achingly slid her hand into his. Once her hand was resting in his, he gently pulled it towards his lips, her eyes never leaving his and placed a small kiss on her ring finger.

She blushed and her eyes fluttered away. The next moment, his hand released hers and he brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. She looked up just in time for his lips to brush against hers. She sobbed a laugh and smiled as he pulled away and then kissed her again. She placed her hands over his and felt something odd about her hand. She pulled away slightly and looked down to find the ring magically appear on her finger.

"Aaah…" She tried to speak looking at the ring then up to his smiling face and back down. "I…" She was simply too choked up. Seeing the ring on her finger made everything that happened real. As if she could chalk this whole marriage thing up to some sort of wild long winded dream she was having while in a coma. This cold piece of precious metal wrapped around her finger solidified everything, her dreams, fantasies and hopeful thoughts but also her doubts, fears and worries. It all came crashing down on her.

"Shhh, it's okay," Kuon whispered. He pulled her into an embrace as she wept. "It's only a ring, Kyoko, nothing to get so emotional over."

Kyoko laughed and coughed to clear her throat to speak, "It's not the ring." She smiled at him and started to wipe away her own tears. "I never thought… I mean." She didn't want to sound like fool but, "I wasn't expecting all this, family, marriage, a ring, love…" She put her head on his shoulder and hugged him closer, "you. This was never supposed to happen. It only happens in…" She stopped herself. She didn't want to bring that up.

"Fairy tales?" He finished for her. "Aren't I your fairy prince?"

"Yes, but…hmmm." He forced her to stop with a quick kiss.

"No but," Kuon told her, "I love you and there are no conditions to it." He kissed her lightly again. "You're stuck with me till death do us…" She covered his mouth with her hands.

"Shh, don't say that. It might give people ideas. Just say forever. It's nicer that way anyway." She watched his eyes glitter from hidden laughter. She pouted knowing that he was teasing her.

He kissed her palm and slid her hand on his cheek, "Forever. I like the idea of forever," he agreed and pulled her into another kiss.

They did not make the announcement the next day. It turns out Lory schedule them to do so on Valentines Day which was only two days away. The show as about celebrity couples and their engagement was to be the highlight of the show so they made the most time for it.

They asked the obvious question first. How did he propose and what did she say? Kuon relayed most of his plan, leaving out some of the finer details and Kyoko told everyone how she felt running around Tokyo following all these weird notes. Then they asked about the ring. They agreed that they should tell everyone that he had the ring to begin with. It was easier and expected. Then they asked about how their respective families took the news.

"Oh they couldn't be happier. Almost everyone I loved was there after I said yes, I was so happy to be able to share my excitement and everyone was so very happy for both of us," Kyoko answered. She had to be careful of her words since she had no real blood family and didn't want to mention this unhappy fact of her past.

"Almost everyone? Who was missing?" The host asked.

"That would be my parents. While my parents were told ahead of time of the event, they weren't able to make it. I think it was about 3 in the morning that night before they called us, and we told them the news."

"And they don't mind this young lady stealing their son?" The female host of the duo asked teasingly. Kuon felt Kyoko stiffen under his hand, and he gently squeezed her.

"Steal isn't the word they would use. As cliché as this sounds, they see it as gaining a daughter rather than losing a son. In fact, they threatened me with her adoption papers if I didn't hurry up and propose," Kuon joked.

"Excuse me? Adoption papers?" Everyone was stunned, while Kyoko laughed.

"They wanted to adopt me long before I stared dating their son, so they threatened that if I didn't join their family through marriage that I would become his sister very soon." Kyoko was smiling a huge smile at mentioning his wonderful parents. She talked to them till morning when they called that night.

"But what about your family, Kyoko-san? I'm sure they would have objected to that," The host prompted.

Kyoko's smile wilted a little but shook her head to hide it. "Oh, I'm sure they would have found a way, but it doesn't matter anymore. I am more than happy to join the Hizuri family through marriage." She leaned against Kuon, hugging his arm for a moment.

"As am I," Kuon chimed in. "I doubt I could deal with the woman I loved as my sister." He turned to Kyoko and sent her a smile with a secret look. She giggled softly remembering their time together as brother and sister Heel.

"Yes that would be very unpleasant indeed," she whispered back.

"When do you plan on getting married?" The next obvious question.

"We haven't really talked about it yet. We know we are going to have a small private wedding probably sometime within the next year," Kuon answered for them which Kyoko backed up with a nod.

"Oh do you promise to release pictures at least?" The hostess was chomping at the bit for more detail.

"There will be a spread of the wedding for the press but that will be released through LME. I promise that everyone won't be left wanting." Kyoko smiled as she answered the question.

"Now what about creating a family of your own? Are you two going to have children right away?"

"No," both answered right away and they both started to laugh.

"No, we aren't ready for children yet. We simply want to be together and to show the world how much in love we are," Kuon replied as he wrapped his arm around Kyoko's shoulders and softly kissed the top of her head. Kyoko blushed at the sudden affection which made everyone fall in love with her more.

The hostess laughed. "You've done so much more on camera before but a little kiss from your fiancé, and you blush like a tomato."

"It's much easier when you are focusing on a role, when I'm not me and he's not him. But while I'm with him as myself, I can't help the flutter in my heart." She looked up at him while she said it, and she was blessed with one of his true smiles. There was a small pause as the two hosts watched the two stars gaze at each other. Envy and happiness for them were the two main feelings as the public watched.

"Well thank you very much for talking to us. You both look very happy and so very much in love. Good luck with everything in the future."

"Thank you." They both stated with a bright warm smile as they wrapped up the show.


	7. Not I, We

Chapter 7

The show couldn't be happier with them, and they continued to show their gratitude for doing the show and wishing them their warmest wishes to a happy marriage. As soon as they got into the car, Kyoko started asking questions.

"Within the next year? You want to get married that soon?" When Kuon said they haven't talked about it, it was true. They really haven't spoken in depth about the actual wedding.

"Yeah, I told you I didn't want to wait long for it. In fact, it's a good thing it was brought up. We need to talk about what we want to do." He paused, thinking about the interview. "Thanks for backing me up by the way." He smiled at her. Kyoko had agreed with what he said in the interview as if they did talk about it.

She crossed her arms annoyed. "Of course, I'll always support you even if I have no idea what's going on. Thankfully, you usually tell me before something like that happens."

Kuon sighed. "I'm sorry. I've never been engaged before and I didn't know what questions were going to be asked."

She smiled. "I'm not upset, but surprised. You really want to marry me that soon?" She asked bashfully.

"Yes, otherwise I wouldn't have proposed. I love you," he said sincerely. He looked at her briefly and then his eyes went back on the road. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. The sooner we start the more time I get."

Kyoko blushed. "Okay but I'm not really sure what to do or where to start."

"Well, we can hire a wedding planner. They will do everything for you, the planning, the designing, all the things needed for the wedding," he offered as she thought it through.

"You said you wanted a small wedding, getting a wedding planner for something small would be a waste." Her frugal side started to peek in. "Plus, why pay someone for something I can do? Let me do some research and I'll plan it. You'll help right?"

"Of course, if that is how you really want to do it," Kuon agreed. He smiled and took her hand in his.

"Great. With me planning it, the cost of it won't be so high. We can rent all the gowns and tuxes. We can use your car instead of a limo and I can cook up a feast for the guest," Kyoko spoke all of her thoughts out loud.

"Wait, Kyoko. Cost isn't a factor in this, and you should not be catering your own wedding," Kuon retaliated seriously.

Kyoko pouted. "But I can't afford to buy everything or the services required for a wedding. It would be too much."

Kuon almost growled. "What is this "I" you speak of? It's "We" now. WE can afford anything we want. Did you honestly think you were going to pay for the whole thing?"

She spoke timidly, "Well no, you bought the rings, and I guess you would pay for your own clothes, so you can buy yours if you like."

"No. You shouldn't be thinking about money. How much you make or what you can buy and can't buy especially for our wedding. And then thinking you can split up the cost of the wedding like we were college roommates with the groceries," he sighed exasperated. "Let's do this, we can go to my bank and join our bank accounts that way you can't tell where the money is coming from."

"W…What!" She stammered, "But...we….I…" She couldn't speak so Kuon did.

"We are going to be married soon. It's okay if we have a joint account. What's mine is yours and yours is mine. That's the way it works." Kuon sounded frustrated. It was simple logic.

"But you earned that money, not me. You shouldn't have to pay for my things. I can pay for my own stuff," Kyoko tried to reason. They reached Daruma-yas, and Kuon put the car in park. He unbuckled the seat belt and turned towards her seriously.

"You're being ridiculous. There is no more yours and mine. After the wedding, we are moving in together. It's ours. The only thing that is yours and mine are our clothes," he explained.

She pouted playfully. "So I can't wear your sweaters in the winter time anymore?" He laughed at her cute face.

"You know what I mean. You can afford anything you wanted or need, right?" She nodded. She could within reason, but Kyoko was not one to want extraordinarily expensive things.

"And you can afford anything I might want or need right?" Kuon added and she shook her head making him laugh.

"Yeah, you can, and I can afford anything either of us want or need, so then what is wrong if we had all our money in one place? You will still be using "your" money to buy "your" things." He smiled at her trying to encourage her.

"No. It sounds weird. What if I see all that money and start spending too much?" She moped, and Kuon laughed loudly.

"It could happen," Kyoko whined. He laughed till he had tears in his eyes.

"No. No it couldn't. Not with you." He smiled at her brightly, and she frowned with a small blush.

"I bought a really expensive dress the other day and shoes too," she told him, hoping to convince him of her materialistic ways.

"Uh-huh. How much?" He smirked.

"I think it came out to be about 30,000 yen," she confessed, and he could see the guilt in her face. His smile widened. (About $350 US)

"That's actually pretty good for you. I'm proud of you," Kuon teased. She turned away from him and crossed her arms in her seat.

"That's not something to be proud of," she grumbled, "You don't know what might happen in this business. Something horrible could happen and then you could lose all your popularity and no one will want to work with you since you don't bring in crowds and then how will we ever be able to make ends meet if we get use to spending money like that and…" He put his fingers on her chin and turned her towards him, stopping her rambling.

"Kyoko, you are over thinking things. If one of us loses our fame and can't get work the other is still doing well. If something happens where both of us stop getting work, we have other skills as well. You are a brilliant cook, and I can fall back to street fighting again."

Kyoko glared at him as he smiled. "No, huh? Okay I can teach martial arts or maybe find work behind the camera instead of in front of it. That is not the point. With one account, expenses will be in general easier for us. We will only have one accountant instead of two. We will only have to worry about remembering one number and once we move in together the bills will be taken out of one account."

He watched her ponder his words. In all honestly, he wanted her to be able to buy anything she wanted and not argue with him about who pays for what. With a single account, it won't matter anymore, no more money debates. It seemed like his reasoning was working.

"You weren't going to have us split the utility bills between us right?" he asked teasingly then a look crossed over her face that said she was. Kuon sighed.

"Please, Kyoko. Try it for a little while. Six months. We can tell the accountant to keep track of every cent. If you don't like it at the end, he will split it all back up into two accounts." He pleaded and peered into her face. Kyoko pressed her lips together, and he knew he won. She couldn't argue with anything he said.

He actually took her to his bank the next day afraid that she would change her mind about everything. She was still very hesitant as they entered. The bank was a one story building, a rather tall one story building but still only one story. The front looked like a hotel lobby really. There were couches and tables with flowers. To the left were the counters where they would service their clients and directly in front of them approached a woman.

"Good afternoon. How can I help you today?" She was dressed in a sharp suit and came up to them as they entered. Kyoko didn't see where the greeter came from. She just appeared out of now where, poof. Kuon smiled at the woman.

"I need to see Gato-san, please," Kuon told her. The woman's smile seemed to have gotten much, much bigger once he mentioned who he as here for, almost as if she was excited.

"Yes, sir," the woman replied, "He is currently with someone at the moment, but if you would please wait here, I will tell him you are waiting. May I have your name?"

"Hizuri Kuon," he answered. The woman nodded and stepped away. They sat in the oversized stuffed loveseat that they were directed to. Not a moment later the woman came back.

"He will be with you in just a few minutes. Could I get you anything to drink while you wait, water, champagne?" The greeter offered making Kyoko's eyes widened. Champagne?

"Do you want anything?" Kuon asked Kyoko, and she shook her head in reply.

"No, we're fine. Thank you." Kuon shook his head, and the woman walked away. Kyoko wasn't use to this type of service at a bank. Sure at a hotel or restaurant or the like but not at a bank.

"See it's not so bad right?" He asked her as if she was going to go in for surgery instead of joining their bank accounts.

She snorted. "Yes, yes. The bank lobby is not scary. I can only hope you don't regret me spending all your money left and right."

He laughed. "Oh no, I don't know how I'm going to deal with you buying all that make-up every three months instead of every day and those shoes every other month instead of every week," he teased making her pout in her seat. Okay, so she didn't spend money like normal girls did. She should be happy. She was about to marry the sexiest man in Japan, one of the top 10 hottest men in America who was filthy stinking rich and loved her endlessly. Now that she thought about it, she sort of wanted to smack herself for her resistance.

Kyoko looked up at him who was waiting patiently. She glanced around the room, checking to see that no one was watching them and then bounced up and kissed his cheek. He turned towards her with a soft shocked smile.

"What was that for?"

She blushed and whispered, "I love you."

His smile widened, and she found it a little hard to breath. She loved that smile on his face, the one that said how much he loved and cared for her. He leaned in and gently kissed her when someone coughed lightly.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt but he is ready to see you now." The greeter came by blushing at their scene, and Kyoko matched her look.

"Ah yes, thank you." Kuon smiled still not caring who sees them, and they stood to follow the woman.

They went past what she thought was the end of the room but was merely the beginning. There were four offices right after the clerk's counter. Across the hallway from the offices were actually these large golden gates as if they were the doors to heaven or something. Kyoko thought it was a little over the top. Through the gates were the safe and the safety deposit boxes, so she guessed it was necessary. They were directed to the third office. An older man with graying hair greeted them kindly and offered them a seat in professional office chairs rather than overstuffed living room chairs.

They sat down and got right down to business. "How can I be of service to you, Hizuri-san?"

"This is Mogami Kyoko - soon to be Hizuri Kyoko. We need to merge our accounts into this one." Kyoko bowed to Gato, who didn't seemed fazed by Kuon's request.

"Absolutely sir, we can do that." Gato turned to his computer and punched up some keys than turned around to a printer. He pulled out a sheet, put it on a clipboard with a pen and then handed it to Kyoko.

"If you would please fill this out with your account information, Mogami-san and then I need you, Hizuri-san, to please fill this out for the change to your account." He handed another clipboard with another paper and pen he printed to Kuon.

Kuon read it over and frowned. "I want her to have full access, Gato-san, with no restraint." Kyoko looked up at Kuon a little worried at his tone.

"Ah, yes, of course," Gato replied with a hesitant tone and printed out a different sheet of paper. "Then sign this at the bottom for a full joint account."

Kuon did so and crumbled the first paper a little annoyed. Kyoko finished putting in the intimate details of her meager bank account on the form and handed it back to Gato.

"Excellent," he stated with a little bit of enthusiasm and then printed yet another paper, wrote some things down and pulled open a drawer on his left, pulling out a round ink pad.

"I need Mogami-san's fingerprints on this please. This is for security measures in the future. Your right thumb goes here," he pointed at the spot, "And your left index finger here please." He pointed to another spot. Kyoko looked at him incredibly and then glanced at Kuon. He simply nodded and she did what she was told.

"Please do not fret, Mogami-san. We take very good care of our clients, especially people like Hizuri-san," he paused, "and yourself. Our level of security is the reason why the successful have an account with us." The way he said it sounded almost wrong as if he was threatening her in some way.

Gato gathered all the documents and signed off a few things and then looked back at both of them. "I will contact Mogami-san's bank and everything will be taken care of within 24 hours. You will have full access to the account including checking, savings and a direct credit card for it. There will be no spending limit as specified by Hizuri-san and all transactions can be made by Mogami-san at her leisure without Hirzuri-san's assistance." Again he said it like he wanted the whole room to be aware of the horrible mistake this was. She felt this black bitter aura beside her and then the next words out of Gato-san's mouth broke her sweet Kuon.

"I would like to congratulate you on your up and coming marriage. We have an iron clad prenuptial agreement that would prove most beneficial to the both of you." He smiled professionally at them.

That didn't go over well with Kuon.

"Excuse me?" Kuon smiled a gentlemanly smile and Kyoko smiled nervously feeling the change of moods.

Gato didn't really seem to notice and just started to explain his reasoning, "It's only a precaution, sir. We offer it to all our affluent clients that are getting married." He didn't give a dirty look at Kyoko like she was a gold digger or was insinuating anything of the sort, but Kuon didn't take it that way. In fact, Kuon looked ready to snap.

Kyoko put her hand on his, drawing his attention. "I don't mind signing one," she whispered softly to him as if to sooth a feral animal. Kuon looked at her like she was insane.

"Would you please excuse us for a moment?" Kuon was always extra polite when he was angry in mixed company. It was only Ren. Ren came out when he had to be nice, gentle or to hide his true emotion. Gato nodded once and left them alone in his office.

"What do you mean "you don't mind"? He is calling you a gold digger!" He spat out as soon as the door shut behind the banker. While Kyoko felt that Gato was justified in his worries, she couldn't help but be happy at Kuon defending her. Still, Kuon was overreacting.

"I know," she tried to reason, "but he is looking at your best interest. There are too many gold diggers in the world. You do make more money than I do, he's being safe. There is no reason to get angry at him."

Kuon scoffed, "You're right, but it's not required."

"Oh, so confident," She teased and kissed the back of his hand. He suddenly pulled her over making her squeak as he almost tipped her chair over. She tilted towards him as he cupped her face with his other hand.

"Quite the opposite," he whispered and kissed her softly. "I'm scared to death of you leaving me. I'm afraid that you will see some side of me you'll hate. That you are hiding your fear of my past, that my anger or jealousy will make you despise me." He kissed her again harder this time, filled with his worry. Before she knew it, he pulled apart and pressed his forehead against hers. "If you left, if you wanted to leave, I'd give you anything you wanted, the house, the cars, the money, anything and everything if you wanted it," Kuon confessed sincerely.

Kyoko felt her eyes water. She didn't like the look on his face. A look of such fear and torment at the idea of his words, it made her chest hurt. She stood up and took a step over towards him letting the chair fall back into place with a thump. He looked up at her with his drowning misery, and she smiled sweetly down at him.

"I still don't understand where you get these fears from. You are the most wonderful loving man I have ever met. If anyone should be worried about the other leaving it should be me." She ran her fingers across his hair line and frowned sadly.

"You are marrying this boring…"

"Wonderful," he countered.

"…stupid…" She continued.

"Brilliant." He smiled at her

"…moody…" She glared.

"Animated." He chuckled lightly.

"…stingy…" She challenged, and he twisted his mouth in thought.

"Careful," He said with a sincere face that made her smile.

"…plain, un-sexy girl. You can have anyone in the world and you picked me. How can I compete with them?" She finished.

Kuon snorted and shook his head. "Once again you got it reversed. How can they compete with you?" He pulled her into his lap, and she blushed prettily.

"Beautiful and sexy as sin woman," he countered her last insulting words and devoured her lips fiercely. After what felt like only seconds, he pulled back and looked at her. Her eyes were closed and her skin was flushed red with beautifully swollen lips asking to be kissed again.

"Do I really need to prove to you how much I want you?" He ran his hand down the side of her body to her knee and then back up her thigh and wished she wore a skirt instead of jeans. Oh but that would have been too tempting. "How many nights I've spent dreaming of you in my arms?" His hand continued under her blouse, and she whimpered softly as his hot hand touched her skin. He leaned in and whispered softly against her lips, "I can spend days, weeks telling you all the things I've thought about doing to you, all of the fantasies I've had." He reclaimed her mouth for a moment and pulled back with a nefarious smile. "I can tell you all of the plans I have for our honeymoon if you like. That will tell you exactly how un-sexy I find you," he finished in his husky voice.

She gasped loudly as his fingers ran over the cloth of her bra feeling the softness of her breast. He pulled her up, sealing her mouth with his. Kyoko whimpered as he gently kneaded and molded her breast in his hand. He let her go reluctantly, slipping his hand out of her blouse and cupping her face. She opened her eyes, and they were a dark molten gold. She panted in his arms, obviously aroused, and he wanted nothing more than to set her on the desk and take her right there and then.

"Do you believe me now?" He asked, and she nodded. It was slow and lazy, almost sluggish. He smiled and sat back, and let her move back to her own seat. After a few minutes of calming breaths, they left the office without signing any type of prenuptial agreement.


	8. Unexpected

Chapter 8

The joint account went through flawlessly and while Kyoko was still mindful of what she spent, she really loved seeing that huge number in her… their bank account.

She really did fall in love with the engagement ring once he put it on her. She took such care of it. She even went back and asked the jeweler for a small bag that she could keep it in when she couldn't wear it on camera. It was kept on her at all times. It was more precious to her than the first stone he gave her.

Kyoko still had Corn though. When she got it back, it was put into a glass case for display. The store she brought it to looked at her like a moron wanting to encase a cheap rock like that, but he did it anyway. She would sometimes panic when she noticed the small purse that held it was missing, but then remembered she had the real thing and not his replacement.

And right now the real thing was making her lose her mind. It's been three weeks since she said yes, two weeks since she said yes again and so far nothing has really changed. Well, she was stopped by more people asking her dozens of questions and now has a constant reminder of him weighing down her finger. Not that she would ever complain about it. But everything in their relationship stayed the same. She didn't know what to expect really. Maybe Kuon would get demanding or perhaps he would start seeing her less. Maybe now that he has laid claim on her - captured the unattainable - he wouldn't love her anymore. But nothing changed and her prince charming didn't turn into a frog once kissed. Kyoko was very thorough though, so she had to make sure he didn't turn into a frog after the first kiss. A lot of research had to be done. Okay, so it was never her idea to get tangled in his arms or his lips; however, she never objected once there.

Kyoko came over for another date, but Kuon wanted to stay in. She hesitated. He did look tired and who was she to make the tired actor go out simply because she was afraid to be alone with him. So in order to hide her nervousness, she offered to cook but of course there was nothing in the fridge. She glared at him. Sometimes she thought he threw away all the food she bought for him on purpose, like some sort of master plan to not eat healthily. She could never prove it though. Since there was no food and he was tired, the only solution was to order in. Then they were left waiting. Soon, waiting went to talking, to touching and she somehow found his sweet lips and warm hands on her person.

His lips held hers with bittersweet fervor. Kuon had her pinned on his couch completely unable to move. He lay down on the overstuff cushions with her on top of him. His hands lightly ran up and down her back, tickling her side and lightly running over her hip to her thigh. Her hands were held captive by his silky hair, feeling the thick strands sliding between her fingers as she sunk deeper and deeper into the trap that was Hizuri Kuon.

Anyone could clearly see she was being held captive. She was moving by instinct, not really thinking about what she was doing only feeling, touching, kissing, and living in the moment with her fiancé. Kyoko wanted to be closer to him, to feel more of him, so she moved. She slid the length of her body against his. Her breast teased his chest, his hand fell unintentionally on her ass, and her thigh unceremoniously glided against his growing arousal. Kuon groaned deep in his chest, and she gasped as he tightened his grip around her. She suddenly found herself beneath him and a willing victim to his assault.

His kisses grew from soft and controlled to hungry and invading. She moaned as his tongue swept inside of her mouth, his hands ran down the side of her body and gripped her thigh to wrap her leg around him. She wasn't as embarrassed as she could have been. She wore jeans and a simple rusty red western shirt with little white snaps for buttons. Kyoko knows she would have made him stop if she was wearing a skirt, but since she was wearing jeans she didn't care.

She felt his leg slip between hers and his free hand crawled up her thigh towards her torso and finally over her breast. She whimpered into his mouth as his large hand cupped her breast. She didn't know if it was a protest or consent at the action but felt her body arched against him, wanting more. It rose, pushing more of herself into his willing hands. She broke the kiss, gasping for air as his hand gently teased her. Kuon, of course, didn't stop. His lips ran down her jaw and started to nibble and kiss down her throat. She shifted underneath him, encouraging him further.

His mouth reached the collar of her shirt and dipped into the few buttons that weren't snapped closed. He licked her skin, her hands grasping his shirt like it was the last thing to save her from herself. She felt his fingers gathering her shirt and the warmth of his body pulled back slightly. She was about to look up to see what he was doing and then felt herself jerk. She heard the snaps of her blouse being undone, revealing the pale red bra underneath.

Before she could form a thought his hand burned across her pale skin. She felt his teeth nibbling on her skin as his hand slid up over her breast to her shoulder. Kuon pulled the cloth from her shoulder taking the innocent bra strap with it, slowly moving down her arm revealing the flesh he desired. She was trembling, writhing under him and his advances. His mouth found his prize, and Kyoko couldn't help the groan of pleasure escaping her lips as he suckled her flesh.

His tongue danced around the tiny pale bud, pinching and rolling it gently. He sucked her breast into his mouth until it almost hurt, feeling his teeth graze her skin. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until Kuon let her go with a soft pop. She panted as he licked her and worked his way up to her lips once more. His fingers took over for his mouth at her swollen peak, tugging gently and kneading the flesh around it.

Her hands ran up his arm and over his strong shoulders only to feel rough cloth. Her fingers itched to feel his rock hard body covered in soft taunt skin. Kyoko wormed her hand down and started collecting his shirt up. Taking the hint, he pulled away kneeling before her and removed his shirt in one quick smooth motion. She looked up at him, her eyes gliding up from the tightness of his abs to the hardness of his chest to his handsome face. He was staring at her like she was something to eat, his eyes covered every little part of her, and she turned away shyly.

Kuon smiled, and the couch dimpled as he hovered over her. He didn't lay down on top of her like before, merely stayed on his hands and knees. She took a risk and glanced at him. He wasn't looking at her face but at her body. Kyoko blushed and started to move to cover herself, but he stopped her with a smile.

"Don't hide, nothing has changed since last time I saw you," he teased as his hand ran down from her arm, over her shoulder and down her chest. He paused rolling her nipple in his palm then moved down to her flat soft tummy.

"Then why do you always have to look so hard?" She pouted with her eyes closed, her face turned towards the couch cushions.

He lowered himself towards her but never gave her his full weight. He licked her from her puckered nipple all the way to her collarbone. Kyoko shivered as he blew on her skin with his words, "Because I can't get enough of you." He kissed her chest, "your beautiful soft skin," he ran his tongue up her neck making her whimper, "all the little sounds you make." He smiled and nuzzled her cheek with his nose making her turn towards him. "I'll never stop wanting you."

Kuon kissed her softly as she blushed lightly. She ran her hands up his chest, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer. He adjusted himself on top of her and her eyes widened at the hard length of him pressed against her. Kyoko shut her eyes and could feel her face growing hot. She didn't slow down her kisses, but her thoughts went lower than his lips. She moved her leg from between his and wrapped it around his and then she did something she contemplated doing for a while.

She rotated her hips against him. He broke the kiss with a loud moan, his whole body jerked above her causing her to stop immediately. _Oh God, did I hurt him? _

"I..." She was about to apologize when he looked down at her again. Her words and breath was frozen in her throat. She recognized his lust filled look and her heart drummed rapidly in fear or was that anticipation? She didn't know anymore. Kuon pulled away slightly and found her legs straddling his waist. He savagely kissed her, roughly plunging his tongue into her mouth and tangling with hers. She felt his hands on her thighs and move swiftly to her hips. He lifted her towards his hips, forcing his hardness against her, the pressure of him shot a hot rush through her body.

Kuon grinded against her and her breathless sighs grew into moans. Kyoko felt his hands on her skin moving down her body to the button of her jeans. The denim fabric slacked and the little zipper moved down. She felt him shift beside her. Her body hummed with need. She started to turn towards him, following his heat, but his hand stopped her. It ran down her body once again but his fingers didn't stop at her jeans. They sunk inside and she jerked when she felt him at her curls.

"Wait," she breathed.

"Why? I can give you a release before the food comes." He pushed forward, his fingers expertly seeking her folds. She moaned as he found her wet slickness and her body wanted nothing more than for him to continue. What he said was true. He explored and found buttons all over her body. Things and places that she never thought could be considered sexual. Once Kuon was allowed to touch her, he proved his ability to learn new things quickly and had her secretly begging for more.

So why was she still a virgin? It was simple, she was scared. Kuon was able to work her into a frenzy, and she enjoyed it every time but the moment he stripped off, the moment she said yes. Her whole body started to shake, and she would clam up. Her body would become unwilling even though her blood boiled over and her thighs would be drenched in her own juices. So he waited, and they "practiced." He would touch her, work with her body and its hesitation. She felt the changes in herself. She was more willing when he stripped her off. She wanted him more, to strip him off and feel more of him, but he always kept his pants on with her completely naked under his mercy. His fingers and tongue played with her and pleased her over and over again and each time she felt like she was ready.

But she could never say anything. She didn't want to tease him with the possibility and have him be rejected once again by her fear. She felt so guilty though. Kuon kissed her and touched her then pleased her giving her a long awaited release and yet he is left wanting. She saw the sweat cover his chest, the subtle trembling in his hands as she left to clean up, not to mention the obvious hard bulge pressing against her leg or hip.

"Kuon, stop please," she pleaded and his fingers stopped, but he didn't remove his hand either.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" His face was filled with concern.

She gently pulled his hand out of her panties and held it against her stomach. She shook her head. "No, of course you didn't. It felt wonderful." She blushed as she argued with herself to let him finish her off.

He kissed her with a smile. "Then let me finish. I want to feel you come in my hand." He kissed her face and whispered into her ear, "I want to see you wither from your climax and your screams filling my ears." His hand slipped hers, but she quickly remembered her goal and stopped him.

"But…" she licked her lips, "but what about you?"

He frowned confused and then smiled. "Don't worry about me." He hugged her as he spoke, "Let me do this." Once again his hand tried to move.

"No, I… I want to do something for you," she whispered without really looking at him. She knew her face was probably in flames.

"You don't have to do anything for me, Kyoko. Just let me love you." He tried to pull her into a kiss, but she was starting to get angry.

"So then does that mean you don't accept my love?" She pouted and then the blush came back as she spoke softly, "You always do these things to me, and I always…" she paused summoning her courage, "I always get my release but you don't. I want to give you one too."

Kuon sighed. "Kyoko, I told you I would wait. I'm fine until you are ready."

"And if I'm still scared on our wedding night?" She countered and saw the flicker of his real feelings show on his face before he hid it.

"I'll wait even then. Kyoko, what are you doing?" His voice was strong until the moment her hands started unbuttoning his fly. She shifted down and started working him out of his confinement.

"I don't believe you. I saw the look on your face and I want to do this." She stopped as she saw him strained against his dark blue briefs. She looked up at him and he was worried but eager too. She swallowed a lump in her throat and looked down. She gently touched him over the cloth with her fingertips making him hiss. She wasn't able to touch him completely as he was still half hidden by his jeans, so her fingertips ran across the rough edge of his elastic band and then dipped inside.

Kyoko could feel him watching her and grew nervous. It was always so much easier when their attention was split. He snuck up her skirts easily when he distracted her with his kisses, so she thought to do the same. She turned up towards him and kissed him. The angle to kiss him and also trying to touch him felt very awkward. She immediately felt her lack of experience until he moved. Kuon switched their positions while they kissed. He now laid flat on his back with her cuddling his side.

She was now able to kiss and feel him freely. This actually made his pants looser as well. She was able to tuck her hand under the fabric of his jeans but over the cotton of his briefs to grab him completely. Kuon groaned into her mouth, and she felt him jerk towards her hand. She smiled and wanted to do more. She stroked him lightly going all the way to the end where she was greeted with a small growing wet spot.

Kyoko grew bolder at his body's encouragement. She pressed her frame against his, and he hugged her closer to him in return. His left arm reached across torso and started lightly running his knuckles across her right breast. Her hand cautiously slipped under all the cloth that kept her away until she found the object of her fears. As soon as she touched him, he broke the kiss and shuddered. She looked at him as he closed his eyes, his face looking over her head.

She tucked her head under his chin and looked down. She could only see the impression of her hand in his shorts. Kyoko blushed never really thinking that she would be in this situation in her life, let alone with this specific person. She wrapped her fingers around him and felt him jerk again. She smiled against his chest and gently pulled him out. He was so dark red, almost purple. She remembered why she was frightened. She didn't understand how this would ever fit in her. His fingers and his tongue were easy, but not this. It did feel nice though. It was so soft, softer than anything she had ever felt before. It was silky yet she felt the hardness underneath. The tip always felt soft. She ran her fingertips over the small slit, and her finger came away wet.

Kyoko could feel Kuon shake beside her. The arm that was wrapped around her back and holding her waist felt as hard as the length under her hand. Yet his other hand very softly touched her body, gently running over her breast, over her stomach or her arm, anywhere he could touch. He was so controlled, and she had the strongest desire to make him break.

She wrapped her fingers around him and stroked down, the elastic band getting in the way slightly. He moaned and held her tighter against him. She moved her hand back up and noticed another drop of clear liquid on the tip. Kyoko stole the drop and brought it to her lips. He's tasted her so many times in the past, she wondered how he tasted.

She licked her thumb and really didn't know what to think. It wasn't like anything she had ever tasted before but it wasn't enough to really taste it. She brought her hand back and ran her thumb over that spot again making Kuon groan as her wet finger caressed him. She looked up at him and ran her hand down his length then back out. His breathing was harsh but he didn't make as much noise as she did. Now, she was a little jealous. He always teased her about the sounds she made, and he barely made anything.

She tried to remember the few things she did to make him moan. She gripped him a little tighter and moved her hand. She was greeted with more his unique taste but no sounds. She smeared that little drop around his tip and a small sound escaped his throat. Kyoko smiled. _He likes the moisture._ She pulled her hand up and licked her palm. She looked up at his face as she wrapped her hand around him and stoked him again. His head tilted back and he groaned lightly. That was better and she found it was easier to move over him.

She continued exploring, seeing what made him jerk or moan and then she heard an odd sound. She paused with Kuon breathing heavily beside her.

"Did you hear something?" She asked as she looked around.

"No," Kuon said breathlessly. She smiled down at him and brought her lips down to his. His eyes fluttered open briefly before he returned the kiss. She was starting to get the hang of touching him and went faster. She could feel him tense beside her and then she heard that sound again. It was knocking. She pulled away.

"I think that's the door. It's the food!" She released him and started to pull away but he quickly pulled her back and placed her hand back on him.

"Ignore it," his voice was thick and heavy. He pulled her almost on top of him and started sucking on her neck and urging her to go forward.

"We can't! Just wait. Let me get the food, I'll set it on the table and we'll finish and eat. I promise it won't take more than a minute."

He groaned and let her go, his arm falling limp off the couch. She laughed as she straightened her bra back and snapped her blouse back. After zipping her jeans up she bent over and kissed his lips quickly then took a step down and kissed the tip of his sex. It jumped against her, and he tried to snatch her back onto the couch. She laughed as she escaped his attempt, and he flopped back down. There was another persistent knock at the door.

"Just a moment, please!" She yelled out and couldn't find her purse.

"Here," he spoke and she turned towards him. He held out his wallet and she smiled. She took it and ran to the door. She quickly opened it to the poor delivery boy who was waiting so long. She would surely give him a big tip.

"It was 2,500 yen? Sorry for keeping you waiting so here is an extra 1,000 for…" She looked up and her heart stopped.

"**FATHER!**" Kyoko screamed and jumped into Hizuri Kuu's arms.


	9. Setting the Date

Chapter 9

Kuon jumped up from the couch and started getting dressed. His body screamed bloody murder at him as he tucked himself back into his pants, but ignored it and quickly looked around for his forgotten shirt.

"When did you get here?" Kyoko asked, and Kuon heard the door close. He started pulling out the cushions and then saw it with the corner of his eye. It was hanging on the edge of his entertainment center. Kuon quickly snatched it up and slipped it on. He turned and found his parents laughing and hugging Kyoko.

"We came over as soon as the plane landed," Julie answered, and they both saw their son. Kuu set down the single bag of food on the counter and went to hug Kuon.

"A little warning would have been nice, a phone call, email, even a letter," Kuon complained even if he was happy to see them - just not at that particular moment.

Julie sniffed pretending to cry. "You don't want to see us?" She buried her face into her husbands waiting arms, and Kuu hugged her with tears in his eyes. Kuon sighed while Kyoko glared at him angrily.

"No, no! Of course we want to see you. We love you very much. It was just such a surprise. You didn't mention anything about it and you usually do," Kyoko explained, and it stopped their tears. Granted, they weren't real to begin with but Kyoko was still very gullible to his parents' act. She probably will be for her entire life, but they would never hurt her so it wasn't a big deal.

"If I recall, you invited us so here we are!" Julie was all smiles as she walked over to the couch pulling Kyoko along with her. "Sorry it took so long, but we had to get everything rescheduled and moved over. Then Kuu had to finish this one scene in his movie that they couldn't do anywhere but there. Don't you worry, we are here now, and we are so excited."

Kuon sat down next to Kyoko on the couch while his mother took the other end. Kuu sat down on the arm of the couch behind Julie with their box of takeout in his hand already eating. The more his mother talked the more worried Kuon got.

"What do you mean moved over, mom?" He asked suspiciously.

"To here, to Tokyo. We transferred all of our contact information and our current projects here while we help plan the wedding," Julie said without a change of expression as if they should have already known this. Kuu simply smiled and happily ate while agreeing with his wife.

Both Kyoko and Kuon sat frozen in shock. They didn't remember asking for help to plan the wedding. In fact, they were going to keep things very, very simple and felt they could do it on their own.

"Plan the wedding?" Kuon asked a little frightened. He coughed to clear his voice. "Kyoko and I are going to have a small ceremony, nothing grand, so there really isn't much to plan."

"What do you mean? You said we were going to be apart of the whole thing," Julie whined and then went into her mother mode. "What do you mean no planning? Even a small ceremony takes a lot of work. You need to find the dress, the venue and book the caterers, the band, the florist, the baker for the cake, the photographer. Then there are the fittings for the bride and groom and the bridesmaids and groomsmen. It takes time to print out all the invitations, and you need to make seating arrangements for the reception and create a gift registry. There are also the bachelor and bachelorette parties.…" Her smile widened to a very knowing smile.

"No," Kuon said, and his parents looked over to him. Kyoko already went into overload at everything Julie said. She didn't think about all that. Was that really what she needed to do?

"No? No to what?" Kuu asked as Julie's eyes started to water.

"No to everything," Kuon clarified. He scooted to the edge of the couch and took his frozen fiancée in his arms, then continued, "Mom, when you think of a small ceremony you are thinking of 200 to 300 people. When we say small, we mean like 50 or less, and we are going to have a small reception with a large dinner for dad. No huge embarrassing celebration with the press and every single person you've ever meet."

"50? That's all? That doesn't even cover your family. You have to invite your family." Julie stood up and leaned over the two of them. "This is the only time you are ever going to get married. Never again is this going to happen. This is a HUGE event, and you should treat it as such."

"O…okay," Kyoko mumbled in fear, and Julie jumped up in excitement.

"Whoa, wait." Kuon turned Kyoko around towards him. She was pale. "Kyoko, we don't have to do this."

"Yes, you do!" Julie chimed in.

"No…," He glared at his mother. "No, we don't," he said softly to Kyoko. "We agreed to a small wedding. You don't need to feel pressured into this. This is our wedding not theirs. It will still be special because it is ours."

"But…," Julie started.

"Mom!" Kuon threatened making Julie pout.

Kuu smiled and patted his wife before gently sitting down next to Kyoko and tapping her shoulder for her attention. Kyoko turned towards her future father worried.

"Kyoko," he started with a smile. "Kuon is right."

"WHAT!" Julie screamed, and Kuon smirked in victory.

"Now wait," Kuu held his hand out making his wife silent. Still speaking to Kyoko, he continued, "Kuon is right, this is your wedding, but Julie is also right." Kuon frowned and Julie mimicked his earlier smile. "This is the only time that you will be getting married so you have to make this count."

"I…," Kyoko didn't know what she really wanted, not completely. "I'm not really sure. I want to be with Kuon. He said a small wedding well that is bigger than anything I thought I was going to get so I don't mind if it's small," she spoke to Julie and Kuu, and they both nodded accepting her decision.

She turned to Kuon. "But at the same time, I want to be able to invite the friends and family that want to attend. I don't want to deny anyone if they want to celebrate with us."

"Not the press," all three of the Hizuris said at the same time and then all laughed.

"I agree. I only want those who love us - that actually know us - to attend," Kyoko amended. Everyone agreed.

Kuon sighed. "Okay. Mom, dad, please help us plan the wedding." Julie jumped up and down squealing in excitement. "BUT!" Kuon bellowed, and the room went silent.

"Please respect our wishes if we say no to something. You need our approval for everything that will be happening in the wedding. Mom, no crying to get your way with Kyoko without me around. Dad, we aren't going to have any kind of bachelor party but…," he turned to Kyoko. "Kyoko, if you want a bachelorette party, well, that's your choice. I want you to be happy and have the wedding that is in your heart. I don't want you to settle." Kyoko nodded with tears in her eyes. He faced each person stating his conditions with a serious demeanor.

"Do we have an understanding?" He ended the verbal contract, and they all agreed.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Julie sat back down beside Kyoko and yanked her out of Kuon's arms. He sighed and slouched back into the couch. Julie noticed and frowned.

"Don't slouch," she ordered. He straightened up, and Julie turned to Kyoko with a smile. "Now, when is the wedding?"

"Oh um," Kyoko turned from watching the child-like Kuon getting reprimanded by his mother to the actual overly excited mother. "We were thinking some time early next year."

"What? But why so long? It's a small wedding. It's much easier to plan for 200 people than it is for a 1000," Julie whined.

"50 people, mom," Kuon corrected.

She glared. "150."

"100."

"125."

Kuon sighed, "Fine."

"Well with everything you mentioned and with both of us working, it will be difficult to get everything done. Early next year would be best." Kyoko hesitated to push the date further up.

Julie grasped her heart dramatically and let out a little sob. "Oh, I'm not sure I have that much time left. My poor heart only has about a year left."

"Then that's perfect. It's almost March so you'll be alive for the wedding in January," Kuon said snidely and was greeted with a pillow to the face.

"Ungrateful son! You'd have your wedding on your mother's death bed?" She cried and

Kyoko was quick to comfort her. "No, of course not." She licked her lips nervously. "When… when do you want to have the wedding?"

Julie snapped up with a smile and answered immediately, "How about in April, with the sakura blossoms in full swing. That would be beautiful!"

"But that's less than two months away! We can't plan a whole wedding in a few weeks," Kyoko stammered, scared out of her wits.

"Oh fine. Hmm…" Julie thought about it. "How does six months sound? I promise you, we will get everything planned and ready to go in six months. We can add extra incentive to who we hire for rush jobs. We will buy only the best for our precious children," Julie offered making Kyoko frowned.

"Oh no, we can pay for everything. It's our wedding to begin with so we can't have you spend your money on it."

"Nonsense. You are family so our money is your money. Besides, the bride's family has to pay for the wedding, and we are your parents so it's our responsibility." Julie smiled, pretty much ending the debate.

Kyoko thought her words through and wasn't given a chance to counter as Kuu started to talk, "And as the groom's parents, we have to set up the honeymoon." Kuu winked and dodged a familiar pillow that came from behind Kyoko. Kyoko flushed bright red, and suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Who's that?" Kuon asked and stood up.

"Oh, that's the delivery boy. We walked up together. As soon as I saw where he was going, I paid him and ordered more food for all of us," Kuu explained as he walked over to the front door.

"Your father is so thoughtful," Julie said dreamily. Kuon groaned as five men came into his condo with their arms full of take out.

"Dinner is ready!" Kuu yelled out cheerily, and they all stood up to finally eat. They argued, Kuon would say debated, over the dinner table about the large details. It was mostly Julie asking Kyoko the questions and then Kuon reeling her in if she got too pushy.

Kyoko wanted a traditional Japanese wedding verses an American one which Julie automatically assumed they were going to have. Since a Japanese wedding had four different outfits in one day, she didn't really argue much. Julie's a wonderful woman who embraced Kyoko the second they met. It took a while for Kyoko to get comfortable, but she was welcomed into the Hizuri family long before Kuon proposed, so she enjoyed the banter they were having, even if it did overwhelm her a bit.

As soon as dinner was over, everyone was getting ready to leave. They agreed to start the planning in three days and hugged their goodbyes. Turns out, they are renting an apartment a few floors up in the same building much to Kuon's delight. As the lovely couple started to leave, they noticed Kyoko putting her jacket on.

"You don't live here?" They asked innocently.

Kyoko blushed. "N…n…no," she stuttered. "I'm still living in my rented room at the Daruma-ya's." Kuu and Julie looked at each other in shock.

"So does that mean…?" Julie whispered to Kuu and made as small gesture with her hands.

"No, surely they've…," Kuu started, and they looked up at Kuon. He was blushing and looking away. They both laughed. "On second thought, I think so. My, our baby boy really is in love," Kuu teased.

Kuon ignored his parents. "Let's get you home," he growled to Kyoko, ushered her out and locked his door behind them.

"What are they talking about? Why are you blushing?" She asked curious to their statements.

"Nothing, they are just teasing me. Just ignore them," he replied leaving his nosey parents behind, giggling after them.


	10. No

Chapter 10

The next three days passed quickly. Kyoko was filming the last episode of one drama and went right into her other, Red Ribbon, which was in full swing.

Red Ribbon was about the red string of fate, where the gods tie an invisible red string to two people who were meant for each other. She played Akane, the heroine of the story. It was a romantic comedy about two people who have never met each other, yet their whole lives are connected in almost every way. From their parents, to their friends growing up, they lived in the same neighborhood and went to the same schools but never in the same class. They shared some friends but some how never went to the same functions. It was only until they met at work did they realize how much they had in common and started to fall in love.

Kyoko was told to meet everyone at LME as soon as her filming for Red Ribbon was done. It ended around 5pm, and she quickly raced out to meet her family. She was extremely excited to have them here even if it cut into her time with Kuon. He was happy as well but was always more eager to be with Kyoko alone. Considering she's only seen his family twice in person, she was looking forward to the next six months.

It took about twenty minutes to travel to LME from the studio, and she was looking forward to having dinner. She went into LA Hearts and looked around. Many of the tables were taken with happy eaters, but hers were not among them. She quickly took a look in the lobby but wasn't really expecting them there. She took a chance and stopped by the LoveMe Room. If she remembered correctly, the last time they visited she was still in LoveMe.

After finding nothing in the Pepto-Bismol room, she took out her phone. She dialed Kuon's number, and he answered in the first ring.

"Are you here yet? Please tell me you need me to pick you up on the other side of town or maybe in another country," his voice was pleading but soft as if he was trying to speak while someone was sleeping, but she clearly heard laughter and Lory's deep thunderous voice in the background.

Kyoko laughed. "Why are you whispering?" She whispered with him.

He sounded so tired, "I don't want to draw their attention just yet."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely. "You don't get to pick me up. I'm already here but I forgot the place we were supposed to meet at. Where are you?"

"We are at the Boss's office. We've been here for…," he groaned, "five hours and I've exhausted very excuse I had to escape. I've been to the restroom so many times, my mother threatened to call a doctor." Kyoko laughed imagining his futile attempts to escape.

"Where are you?" He asked. She could hear the smile on his lips.

"I'm walking to the elevator on the ground floor. I'll be up in just a minute." She pushed the button up and waited.

"No, wait. Don't come up yet. I'll be right down and I'll escort you up. We can take the stairs." Kuon was already at the elevator and was waiting impatiently for the doors to open.

"Why?" She smiled and took a step away from the elevator. Hers had arrived but she didn't hop in. Instead, Kyoko leaned back against the wall to wait.

"Because as soon as you get up here, we are going to talk about the wedding," He explained. "They tried to ask me everything as soon as we arrived, but I told them it wasn't fair that you weren't here. So they've refrained and started talking about their current projects and then the past and that lead to things I really wish I never knew about my parents." Sometime during his ranting his elevator finally came, and he rode down to meet her.

"Poor Kuon." She pouted playfully on the phone. "Do you want to go home?"

"God, yes," he groaned, and she giggled softly. The elevator dinged in front of Kyoko, and the doors opened to reveal an excruciatingly handsome man. If there were others in the box with him, she didn't notice. Kuon stepped out and hung up his phone, and she did the same. Kyoko stayed against the wall and watched him stalk up to her darkly.

"Let's go." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and was tugging her towards the garage.

She laughed and stopped him. "No, I mean, you can go home and I'll go up and play distraction upstairs. If you're tired, then you should rest."

He sighed, and he turned them towards to stairs. "I couldn't do that to you. I love her but I don't trust my mother around you. If she cries one little tear, you'll crumble."

"I would not! I know she isn't serious when she says she is dying next week. It's just…" Kyoko looked down bashfully, "if she is willing to do that then maybe it means more to her than to me or us."

Kuon sighed, shaking his head. "You don't understand. She always does that. I remember once she told me she would die if she didn't get the car in Monopoly. It doesn't matter the situation; it's just her thing."

Kyoko laughed until tears fell. "You can't be serious. Do you remember how old you were?"

He had to think about it and replied, "I think I was 5 or 6 the first time she did it. I gave her the car right away. Once I turned about 8, I stop believing her. But you're right. Sometimes she will come up with something realistic, and I know that it's something that's dear to her heart. It's rare though."

"What's realistic?"

"Anything longer than a few months. The last time I believed her, she said three months. Then again, a year."

Kyoko smiled softly and asked, "The wedding?"

Kuon looked down smiling and nodded. "Yeah, I can see she really wanted to help plan it. Most likely they couldn't commit to spending a whole year in Tokyo, so they wanted it done sooner or else they wouldn't be able to attend."

"Ah, well then I'm glad this is happening. I don't think either of us would be happy if they couldn't be apart of the wedding." They came to the door, and they stopped. Kyoko turned and looked up at her husband to be with a sweet smile.

"Yeah, I know." He returned her smile and gently caressed her check. "I've missed you," He whispered.

Kyoko wanted to say that it's only been three days, and that they've spoken on each of those days but didn't. Truth be told, she felt the same way. "I've missed you too," she whispered softly and turned her face up for a kiss. She had taken to higher heels since it made certain situations like this so much easier. His smile turned into a smirk. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her hands braced herself against his chest as he met her lips.

He pulled back slightly to speak, "Shall we go face the firing squad now?" He murmured against her lips.

She shrugged. "We can stay down for a little bit longer." She pressed a small peck on his lips and smiled. He grinned and looked around the area. They were in the back corner of the floor where the fire escape and stairs were. No one came down there unless they were trying to sneak in a smoke break. He quickly opened the door and snuck Kyoko inside.

As soon as the door was closed, he hiked her up on a step and captured her lips. She laughed, but it quickly turned into a groan. His hands crept under her jacket and quickly found the flesh under her sweater. She had to take a step forward as he pulled her closer but she found that there was no step left. Her balance faltered, but he was more than ready to catch her. Kuon bent slightly and picked her up with his arm under her butt. She was hosted up and was now kissing him from above. It was something she didn't get to do often, but it made her feel like the dominate one. The one that was desperate for his touch, his kiss.

He sat her down on the thin metal railing. He stood between her knees, and his hand slipped down to glide down her thigh. Kyoko felt so unbalanced, teetering back and forth, away and against him. She would slip back and he would run his hand up her back and fall forward. She would start to slip off the rail and his hand would slide down her thigh to her knee and would push her back. His lips left hers and started kissing and licking down her throat. She tilted her head back for him, and she was falling again. He wrapped his arm around her and held her still perfectly balanced in his arms.

As his face buried itself in the lapel of her jacket, Kuon was forced to stop. Though, he didn't want to. He took his hand from her thigh and ran it over her sweater to her shoulder. He slipped the jacket off her shoulders and pulled it off, letting it drop on the floor. Kyoko almost went with it, but he caught her slightly lying back. She could feel the strength of his arms as they kept her from crashing. He still wasn't able to get far with the sweater on so he returned to her lips. He ran one of his hands down her arm and placed it around his neck. Without thinking, she did the same to the other. As soon as he felt both arms around his neck, he let her go. He wanted his hands free.

Kyoko squeaked in surprise and tightened her grip around him. She held on to him with her arms and legs, to keep from falling, to keep from leaving him. He ran his hands over the sweater, then over the bunched up skirt around her hips. She was wearing thick winter leggings and short ankle boots that were probably digging into his leg, but he didn't care. Even while she was wearing so much, it felt like he was touching her skin as he dragged his fingers down her outer thighs. He brought his hand up, skipping her skirt and moving to her sweater. She felt his fingers creep under the soft thick cotton and a little sound erupted from Kuon's pocket.

Kuon cursed lightly as his phone broke the spell. He looked at Kyoko for a moment, her lips red and swollen, her light panting with her flushed cheeks. He kissed her again, sliding his tongue into her mouth once more. She moaned and felt him pull her up. He set her on her feet in effect breaking the kiss but continued to hug her close as he reached for his phone.

"Hello?" He answered. Kyoko wrapped her arms around him, mostly to keep from falling until she gained her strength back but also merely to hold him.

"Yeah, I was picking up Kyoko. We are on our way back." He ran his hand over her hair and stopped at her shoulders. She smiled feeling very warm and cuddled closer to him.

"Yes mom, I promise, we'll be there in five minutes." He finally hung up. She looked up with him with a lazy smile.

"I'm guessing we aren't taking the stairs?" She asked

He laughed softly. "No, they threatened to move into my spare bedroom if I don't get you up there now."

She laughed and pulled away. She stepped down and around the railing to get her fallen jacket. "Then we better get going. I don't want this stair way to be the only private place we have," she teased, and he stood there stunned. _Did my Kyoko really just say that?_

She opened the door and then looked back, concerned when he didn't follow. "Kuon?" She took a step towards him and took his hand. He blinked at her concerned face and started walking towards her.

"Sorry, lost in my own thoughts," he stammered and held the door open as she stepped through.

"What were you thinking about?" They merged back into the general public of the building and headed back to the elevator. His hand was resting at the small of her back, his thumb lightly caressing her over her thick sweater.

He smirked at her. "Nothing I can tell you in public." Kyoko blinked, and a deep red blush started to creep from under her sweater and covered her face. He chuckled lightly. The elevator dinged its arrival, and they rode up to Lory's office.

The scene was as expected. Well, Kyoko will never know what crazy idea Lory had to decorate his office or how he was dressed but the expectation of something wild and very well thought out was there. Also there will be a pile of food along with an equal pile of dirty dishes that were going to soon outweigh the first. Then there was the sun of the room, Julie sitting beside her husband. Kyoko went in first trying to let Kuon hide behind her as much as she could possibly hide him. She was more than willing to take the first impact of their enthusiasm. She smiled brightly and quickly walked over to hug her mother and father. She then turned and bowed down politely to the Canadian Mountie sitting across from them.

"It's about time you came. I thought for a moment you might have gotten kidnapped," Julie laughed and brought the girl down to sit next to her on the couch she shared with Kuu.

"I sort of got lost if you can believe it. I didn't know where we were meeting so I had to call Kuon to come find me." She turned an affectionate look towards him.

"Well, now that you are here we can finally get started on the wedding." Julie patted Kuu's thigh as he ate. He blinked at her curious as to what she wanted.

"The books, honey, the books," Julie gestured him to hurry up.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." He handed her his half filled plate and Kyoko's attention was drawn to the food. Kuu leaned over the couch arm and pulled out a stack of books and magazines almost as thick as his forearm. Julie and Kuu traded their objects and then Julie plopped the books on Kyoko's lap.

"Ooof!" Kyoko huffed and her attention was snapped back to the thing on her lap. There were dozens of bridal and wedding magazines, and then a binder all covered in white silk cloth with _Weddings _embroidered on it. She lightly ran her fingers over the thickness and paled. "Um, what is all this?"

"It's help to plan the wedding. I thought we could look through these, get some ideas of what you want, ideas for your dress or dresses." Her smiled got wider at the thought of picking more than one dress, "and maybe even themes for the reception. What type of music do you want? Flower arrangements and invitations? These books, and of course Lory and myself, will help you."

"Absolutely!" Lory bellowed. "We will spare no expense. Since this is a wedding between LME's two biggest actors, we'll do a red carpet wedding. The whole ceremony will take place in an auditorium where they hold Japan Academy Awards. We'll make a movie of your lives and of how you got together. The perfect love story of how love conquers the pains of our past. We'll have you and your wedding party walk down the red carpet with the press behind the velvet ropes and…"

"No press," Everyone in the room spoke at the same time.

"Fine, fine," Lorry retracted, "I'll hire people. It will be great! I can see it now."

"No," Kuon said. It was starting to be his favorite word. "Kyoko wants a traditional Japanese wedding." Lory looked at Kyoko, and she nodded solemnly.

Lory nodded. He put his hand on his chin as he went deep in thought. "We can have the both of you ride in on elephants and then…."

"No," Kuon repeated.

"A hot air balloon?" Lory asked broken hearted.

"No."

"Okay a simple limo."

"A standard white one," Kuon corrected and Lory huffed.

"But we can spruce up the theme a little right? How about we do an old Japanese samurai themed wedding? We can have Kyoko dressed in the pure white shiromuku and Kuon can wear the ruggedly handsome samurai armor. The men will wear elaborate lord's kimonos with their wives in colorful jeweled kimonos."

"Standard traditional, 21st century," Kuon said with his hand over his eyes as if fighting off a headache.

"Fine, then we can do an elaborate temple theme," Lory offered, "Everyone can be a miko and hoshi. We'll have oni that are being banished and purified. We can even have it outdoors in a very rural area. I can definitely make this very real."

"No, no, no," Kuon stood up to face Lory, "We want something simple, something that says us not you, Boss. No wild exotic animals, no special themes from foreign lands or ancient periods, no…" A loud growling noise interrupted and everyone turned to find its source.

Kyoko tried to hide herself behind the stack of books on her lap as her stomach growled again and Julie laughed. "Sweetie, if you were hungry, eat. There is plenty of food for you right here."

"Sorry. I didn't want to interrupt and I know father eats so much and there wasn't much left so…."

Kuu laughed. "I will never take food away from my babies. I'd rather starve than let my loved ones go hungry." He picked up a plate and filled it to the brim with food and handed the plate to Kyoko. Meanwhile, Lory continued to argue with Kuon about the wedding.

The plate of food had things on there she never seen before. She loved food and never really had an opportunity to explore new things. She gingerly took a bite of something with a flaky crust. It was thick and earthy but good.

"What is all this?" Kyoko asked Julie, who was closest to her.

"It's mostly meat pies and other Canadian dishes. Kuu would know more than I would." Kuu was more than eager to talk about food. He pointed to each item of her plate and told her what it was and what to expect. She tasted them as he told her what it was, tourtiere, poutine, pease pudding, bannock bread, and oreilles de crises. Then there were different types of roasted and dried meats and cheeses that he made sandwiches with. After she sampled everything, he handed her a smaller plate with sweets. He gave her bites of butter tarts, matrimonial cake, maple leaf cream cookies, nanaimo bars and something called nougabricot which ended up being her favorite since it wasn't as sweet as the others.

Sometime during her Canadian food tour, Kuon sat down next to her on the floor as he continued to knock out Lory's ideas. She felt instantly better as the weight of him leaned up against her legs. He was even kind enough to take the books from her lap and set them on the floor to let her eat.

As she found something she liked she would take a small piece and give it to him. They both blushed when he ate the first piece of meat from her fingers, but they were both quickly distracted by the people talking to them. He would simply take the food as he declined whatever Lory was saying. Then if he had a moment he would give her a face of dislike if he didn't like it.

"We can hire people to cater to each one of the guest."

"No." Then Kuon thought about it again, "Well, Dad will need his own server but the rest of the party will have the standard amount of servers. We don't need one server to each person."

Kyoko was finally full and caught on to what was being said. She completely agreed with that one. It would cost way too much to have that many servers, not to mention extremely crowded. As Kuon answered questions, she made a plate for him. She handed it to him as he listened to another one of Lory's ideas. He smiled a tight smile as he took the plate and set to eating it. She filled it with only things he liked and it wasn't as full as her plate was. He should be fine.

As soon as Kyoko could get a word in, she started to apologize to Lory. "Excuse me, Takarada-san. I do love your ideas and we appreciate the thought you've put into it but we," she put her hand on Kuon's shoulder and he smiled at her, chewing on something, "would like a modern Japanese ceremony in a standard Shinto temple."

Kyoko turned to look at Julie. "Most of the wedding ideas are already set. The first dress is as Takarada-san said a shiromuku. I can show you what that are at a shop and we can choose all different designs and fabrics but not much in the way of style. Kuon will wear the standard black kimono with the Hizuri family symbol embroidered in white as will father. Mother, you'll wear a very pretty tomesode. You get to pick from many different designs."

"And your bridesmaids and groomsmen?" Julie asked a little hopeful of something she knew, but Kyoko shook her head.

"There are no bridesmaids or groomsmen. The bride, groom and their immediate families are the only ones in specific wear. The guest may wear a western style dress or a Japanese kimono."

"You've researched this a great deal, haven't you?" Kuon asked, and Kyoko looked down shaking her head.

"Yes and no. I lived in a ryokan that held a lot of wedding ceremonies," she explained. "They were an extremely traditional hotel and we lived right next to a temple so most of the parties booked their reception at the ryokan. It went with the whole theme of the wedding. Couples wanted a traditional wedding and the Fuwa Ryokan was able to prove a traditional reception for them. I learned a lot about the customs."

Kyoko sighed as they heard a little bit more of her painful past. "I always thought the Japanese brides were so beautiful all painted up and the ceremony is so very colorful in reds and whites. Fuwa-san would always tell me about her plans for my wedding." She became quiet and no one knew how to break the awkwardness. Kuon nudged her leg. Kyoko turned to look at him and met his eyes. His eyes spoke volumes of his love in those few brief moments just before he gently kissed her knee. She blushed but his nudge reminded her of her point.

"I would still very much like to be one of those brides, but I would like the modern version of it." She smiled to Julie. "So we will exchange rings after the SanSanKudo and then I will wear a western wedding dress for the reception, a kimono at the honoring and a normal dress to give out the presents. See four different outfits to rent."

Julie started coughing and wheezing as Kyoko said the word rent. Kuu quickly gave her something to drink to clear her throat, and she looked at Kyoko like she was a monster. "RENT? We aren't renting anything besides the temple and the reception hall. Every dress you wear, you will own and the same goes for Kuon."

"But… but… each dress can cost several 100,000 yen each. It's much cheaper to rent each item. I'll only wear each one once and only for a few hours. I can't wear them after the wedding." She looked around and everyone was looking at her as if she was the insane one instead of them, everyone but Kuon.

He put his finished plate down and turned towards her. "Kyoko, you have to understand, mom has shoes she's never worn for the same price as each of those dresses. The price for your dresses won't be anything."

Julie scoffed, "I have worn every pair of shoes I have ever bought at least once. It's not my fault if they get lost in the closet afterwards." She crossed her arms defensively.

"But it's a waste of money. You could spend it on better things than a one time dress." Kyoko couldn't imagine spending that kind of money on shoes. She had to admit that Kuon's little shopping trips made her spend a few 10,000 yen on shoes but not in the 100,000s.

"You can wear the kimono and the dress after, right? " Lory asked trying to help the cause.

"Yes, that's true. They will be a little fancy for a normal event but with some of the parties I've been going to they work well." Kyoko felt like the world of rich blind people was closing in on her, and she was starting to lose the light of reason.

"And wouldn't it be nice to have the clothing that meant so much to you on your very special day?" Julie's voice pleaded with Kyoko. She could hear the desire for her to say yes. Kyoko sighed in acceptance making Julie bounced in her seat and hugged her.

"You were never going to win that one," Kuon whispered to her, and she glared at him as he laughed.

"So if I'm not planning the wedding, what am I here for?" Lory sounded so hurt, so upset that none of his ideas were going to be put to use.

"Oh, you are the most well connected man for parties in all of Japan," Kyoko stated. "I was hoping you could help us with contacts to get everything. We are going to have our wedding on September 10th. That's only six months away so we need to cut as much of the searching as possible. Would you be willing to help us with that?"

"Yeah, Boss, we need the filing cabinet you hide all your contact information in." Kuu was looking around the office. "Where did you put that thing anyway? Did you move it?"

Lory snorted. "That old thing, I've long upgraded from that. Everything in those files was transferred electronically. My secretary did that for me years ago. It took her about two years to do so but it's done and updated now."

"Are you willing to share all your trade secrets?" Kuon asked.

Lory smiled. "Of course. I'll provide you with anything and everything I can. You've always had that from me."


	11. Details

Chapter 11

The wedding talk felt like they were doing the bunny hop, taking one step forward and two steps back. Kyoko had to tell them all about a traditional Japanese wedding. Lory knew a lot of it but was rusty. His wedding was far from normal so he wasn't much of a source either.

There were a lot of misunderstandings. The 125 people that they agreed on were only for the actual wedding part where they exchange their vows and rings. Kyoko told them it was fine to invite as many as they wanted to the reception. Before Kuon could stop them, they took that as they could invite absolutely everyone they knew and that was that.

That caused another "debate" to ensue about the number of guest to the reception. Kuon wanted to keep things as small as possible while his parents wanted to invite the world. They finally agreed that if Kuon didn't remember who they were, they weren't invited to any part of the wedding unless they were blood related. Those were automatically invited. Kyoko knew so few people in comparison, they allowed her as many people as she liked.

There are actually two receptions in a Japanese wedding, one for the family and close friends and another for all the guests. A large celebratory meal was served for the main family and friends. After that, they would go to the reception and cut the cake. The guest would eat their dinner while speeches and entertainment were performed in dedication to the newlyweds.

The two receptions had to be combined into a single one. There was no way that Kuu was going to be able to sit and watch other people eat even after he's already eating at the first meal. Kyoko was actually very open to ideas for the reception. She only wanted the ceremony to stay as traditional as possible. So reducing it to one big dinner with everyone was fine with her.

Everyone was pleased with everything until she had to explain what the entrainment was about.

"Certain family members and friends will go up to a set up stage and say something nice about the bride and groom. They can simply wish them good luck or say a whole speech. It's normally timed so they don't stay up there for too long though. I've seen some weddings that had professional dancers and singers perform for everyone. Though the only ones I've seen were older Japanese performers. They played music like the gagaku or played the sokyoku for us. Sometimes we got kabuki or noh actors to put a play for us"

Kyoko looked around and found everyone had a different reaction to her tales. Lory was riveted wondering about the theater piece she saw while Kuon pulled out his phone and started to look things up as she said them. Kuu seemed uninterested since he knew of these things from his childhood but no longer cared about them. Julie just looked a little depressed.

"We don't have to do that. We can hire anything we want, modern singers, dancers, comedians, anything," Kyoko explained and let the breath she was holding as soon as Julie smiled.

Lory jumped into that band wagon in a flash and started spewing out a huge list of the entertainment he could provide. Finally after saying no to the first twenty, Kuon told him to make a list, they would approve the ones they liked and give it back to him. Next was the cake.

"The cake is merely for show, everyone gets cake but it's not from the actual wedding cake, since wedding cakes are so expensive," Kyoko's voice starts to drift off, "but I guess it's not an issue in this case so we can serve a real wedding cake."

"After you cut it and feed each other," Julie added with a cute expression.

"No, that's normally not done," Kyoko quickly amended.

"Aww, so no feeding each other at all?" Julie pouted. "That's the best part."

Kyoko hesitated, "That's very personal though, I'm not sure."

"Please," she begged. "You were feeding Kuon earlier and had no problems with it."

Kyoko felt her face heat up. "It's much different with only family around. We'll have to do this with 400 people watching us."

"But you'll have already kissed in front of everyone at the ceremony. Feeding each other a small piece of cake is nothing," Julie said nonchalantly.

"No, we don't kiss at the end," Kyoko replied, and Julie gasped in horror.

"What do you do after you exchange the rings?" She asked.

"We turn towards to the two families and bow. We are escorted out and the ceremony is over." Julie's outraged face did not change as Kyoko explained the last part. "but… since the rings aren't normal I suppose we can ask for that part to change as well." She blushed, "I wouldn't mind a "Kiss the bride" part in the wedding."

Julie nodded sharply. "And we'll do the Cut the Cake tradition too. It will be really quick, just cut the cake and take a quick nibble and it's over. Everyone will love it and we'll have a real wedding cake that will be served to the guest." Kyoko couldn't help but be nervous about the obvious public displays of affection. It was one thing to simply kiss in a coffee shop or hold hands on the street but a whole other thing to have hundreds of people expecting it and watching you. Still, when she looked at Kuon, she was sort of eager to kiss him, to show the world she was his and then to feed him to show he was hers willingly, showing such an embarrassing act in front of so many had to be an act of love.

Next were the gifts. "There is no gift registry. Most gifts for the bride and groom come in the form of money; however, with all the changes and most of Kuon's family being American, I'm not sure how to approach this. It's not that we need the money like most Japanese families."

"Why would they give you money?" Julie asked.

"It's to help pay for the wedding. Gifts are okay but they can't be given during the wedding, before and after is fine."

"Oh, we do that too." Julie waved her hand in dismissal. "Everyone usually buys something from the registry and has the store ship it to the couple long before the actual wedding."

"Oh, then that works." Kyoko paused in thought and murmured, "Though that will make choosing the hikidemono difficult."

"The what?" Julie asked confused.

"After everyone honors the bride and groom, we go change into another more comfortable outfit and hand out gifts to the guest who came. Normally, the guests don't get to spend much time with the bride and groom so this is their opportunity to speak and take pictures with them. At the same time, we are to give them a gift about half the price of their gift. With everyone choosing from a registry, it will make giving them something proper more difficult."

"What a fun idea," Julie exclaimed. "What do we give them?"

"Normally things like dishes with the family name painted on the back or sometimes food to take home. Sake is very popular too with a sake set. It depends on the amount they give so it can be anything." Kyoko paused remembering something. "There are catalogs for this type of thing. We can go look at some for ideas if you like."

"What's after that?" The curious mother asked.

"The groom will thank everyone for coming and everyone leaves," Kyoko answered.

"When is the couple's first dance?" Julie was pouting again. Kyoko was starting to understand what Kuon said about crying over anything.

"There is no dancing unless it's by performers. Though sometimes there is an after party for the younger guests. They will do karaoke or go to a club. We can do that with whoever wants to stay for it."

"Oh, but then most will leave and miss out on it. Can we do it sooner?"

"Actually, mom, it's probably better that way. We've already displayed ourselves enough." Kuon noticed how much Kyoko was compromising and wanted to help.

"But the first dance is beautiful. Everyone can see how well you work together. It's the best part," Julie pleaded. Kyoko frowned. Didn't she hear that phrase before?

"Make it part of the guest entertainment, both of you live to entertain so after you cut the cake or before, you can do the first dance. Then the honoring can start," Lory offered. "Just one song, it will be over quickly, and the rest can happen."

Kuon looked up to Kyoko. She would be the only one to object to that. "That does sound nice and we'll be in the western wear at the time so it should fit well." She smiled. They agreed to an after party. There will be karaoke and dancing and that meant another outfit to prepare. It was after midnight by the time they called it quits. Now that Kyoko was down to one drama, and Kuon doing only one movie, they actually had a lot of free time to dedicate towards planning the wedding.

However, when they put everyone's schedule together, it looked like a jigsaw puzzle with a lot of holes and not a lot of overlapping ones. It was easier to get two of them together at the same time but never all four. The next time they would all meet would be in two weeks but that didn't mean everything was put on hold.

Tomorrow, Kyoko is meeting Julie at 10am to look at the wedding dresses. The sooner she picked one the sooner the fitting and alterations can begin. At 3, Kyoko had to leave for a guest appearance but Kuon was free. So Julie, Kuu and Kuon would be at his place starting the guest list for his side of the family. Once she was done, she could go over and help but Julie and Kuu had to leave for a function at 7. This is what the next two weeks looked like, filled with appointments for work and wedding details in between.

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that it wouldn't ease up until it was over and done with. Once something of a schedule was set, everyone got up to leave. Kuon was taking Kyoko home and Lory, Kuu and Julie were going to spend some more time at Lory's mansion.

Once alone in Kuon's car, they both let the silence ease their mind from the tension of the evening. After a few minutes of nothing, Kuon picked up Kyoko's hand and kissed the back of it. "I'm sorry," he whispered against her skin.

"For what? You did very well rejecting all of Takarada-san's ideas. I probably would have caved at something just to get him to stop." She laughed lightly.

"I'm sorry for them barging into our wedding. You changed a lot of things to make them happy. You didn't have to do that." He weaved his fingers between hers and was idling caressing her skin.

"I actually like most of the changes. They didn't change the actual wedding only the stuff after. That's not so bad." Kyoko smiled at him trying to make him feel better about everything. Then she frowned. "Are you okay with the changes?"

He snorted. "Growing up, I only knew of Christian weddings. I've been to so many of them as a child since mom was invited to everyone's, even if we knew them or not. So I sort of expected a whole lot more in my wedding than what we are having. The kiss, the cake, the dancing is merely a few of the things that make up a Christian wedding."

"Oh. Did you want those other things too? We can probably fit them in the schedule if you do." She wanted him to enjoy his wedding as much as she did. It was for both of them.

"No. Other than the number of people, I'm happy with what we have." He smiled, "I get to kiss you at the end of the ceremony which was one of the things I would have asked to change as well. I'm glad you are okay with it. I want the first moment of our marriage to start with a kiss." He moved across from her and gently kissed her. She blushed lightly and was suddenly extremely happy she made those compromises. Kuon let go of her hand to start the car but promptly took it back.

"Is it possible to take Kanae-chan with you when you go dress shopping with mom?" He asked suddenly.

She frowned. "I'm not sure. She's doing two dramas at the moment so I don't know how much time she has. She did offer to help with anything if I needed help. I can ask her. Why?"

"She would normally be your maid of honor so she would have helped you look for a dress and help choose the cake." He pressed his lips together, worried, "I would like you to have a second opinion other than my mothers."

"I would love to have Moko there. I'll ask and see if she can come." Kyoko smiled and looked at Kuon. He was quiet most of the night. Did he really get his two cents in or was he being polite? The ride home was short. He walked her to the door. She turned to say good night, but she had to make sure.

"Kuon, are you sure you're happy with everything? There is nothing else you want from this?" She looked up at him with those big innocent eyes, and his heart warmed. She was always thinking about him, always so worried about how he was thinking or feeling. The way she looked up at him so trusting with those big eyes and pouting lips. He wanted desperately to hold her.

He smirked at her, and her cheeks flushed. He chuckled. One smile and she knew what he was thinking about. "Well, there is one custom I won't get to do." He pinned her against the wall with his frame, his hand placed slightly above her head while the other ran down the side of her body. "It's considered good luck to have a piece of the wedding dress. They wanted to take home a piece of the bride's good fortune. To keep the guest from cutting pieces off of the bride, the groom would throw a garter belt that rested here." His fingers lightly caressed a circle around her thigh.

Kyoko gulped as his hand crept so very high on her thigh. He backed away with a teasing smile, and Kyoko found it easier to breathe but not for long. She watched him go down on his knees, take her right leg and placed her heeled boot on his knee.

"Now a day, the bride will sit in a chair in her innocent white dress and the groom will reach under her skirt and slide the little belt off." She stopped breathing as he did exactly that. He ran his hand from her calf and slowly slid his large hand up, over her knee and under her skirt. She felt her knees go weak, and she braced herself against his shoulders. Her eyes closed as his hand felt like it wasn't going to stop. She didn't feel him move until she felt his breath heat the inside of her thigh.

"I've seen some do it with their teeth," Kuon added and her eyes burst open as he placed a small kiss on the inside of her thigh wherever the garter belt would have been. She blushed as he kissed her in such an intimate spot in the middle of the night completely out in the open. He set her foot down and slowly stood back up, keeping her arms around his shoulders.

"Would you like to add that to the reception?" He teased, "I would be more than happy to do that to you without your leggings on."

She couldn't speak, but she quickly shook her head back and forth furiously. He laughed. "I didn't think so." He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"I promise, if there is something I want to do or not do, I'll voice it. Just like I hope you will stay true to what you really want as well." She smiled and nodded. She raised her face and gently pulled him down.

"I'll see you tomorrow." They kissed, the warmth of their bodies heating up the cold winter night.


	12. Dress Shopping

Chapter 12

Dress shopping.

A woman can take a week to find a normal dress that fits her body: to find one that falls over her curves in the perfect flattering way, to pick the perfect shade of blue or red to match their eyes or skin tone. There are simply too many variables that one needs to consider shopping for a simple party dress, let alone a wedding dress.

So obviously a week was not enough time to pick four different dresses, let alone one for a once in a lifetime occasion. The shiromuku was the easiest to purchase. There were only so many different things you could do with it. It is always made out of white silk, though it can have different shades of white, creams and silvers. Some even had bits of red, but the most traditional type was pure white from top to bottom.

Julie had Lory refer her to a tailor that can create a specialty shiromuku for Kyoko. They entered the shop early and borrowed several of the tailor's books. They stayed there for hours on end looking through each of his pictures and several samples of his work. All while he was working on a very colorful furisode for a young lady.

Kyoko fell in love with the real flowers with the pearl like centers along with the silver embroidery work. She didn't say such things, but Julie was able to pick up on exactly what she wanted simply because she hovered over a page longer than usual. Julie scheduled another day to talk about the design where they spent most of the day watching the older gentlemen draw and erase as they dictated what they wanted.

"No, we don't want it to cover her eyes, make it so there is a little bit of mystery when you look at her," Julie told him. Hashimoto, the tailor erased the curve of the headpiece and redrew it slightly higher up.

"More," Julie ordered, and he did it again. "Now for the flowers you have embroidered on it, reduce the quantity and make them real, real silk flowers with silver tipped petals."

Hashimoto erased all the smaller flowers and leaves that he drew and proceeded to draw two larger flowers in a pretty arrangement.

"Wait!" The artist froze and looked back at the demanding woman. Julie turned to Kyoko and asked, "You are standing next to Kuon, right? What side will you be on?"

"Um… I'll be on his left." Kyoko had to think about that.

"Mmm…okay. They can stay on her left then. Please continue." The tailor finished the new drawing. If the man was frustrated, he never showed it. He simply did was he was told and redrew things, rearranged it and added comments and arrows pointing to certain things. He was even asked to redraw the whole thing over again.

"Make sure everything is embroidered with silver and we'll get you the pearls and stones that you'll be using for the dress," Julie informed the creator casually.

Kyoko turned to Julie with wide eyes and whispered, "They won't be real right?"

Julie blinked. "Of course they will be sweetie. We aren't going to spend this much money to make this from scratch just to put cheap jewels on it."

"But no one will know the difference," Kyoko pleaded.

"I will and you will. Plus, it will look gorgeous," Julie countered as she eyed the drawing. Hashimoto was now drawing the details of the dress, the cranes and flowers that would make up most of the design. "Do you think that looks too busy?"

Kyoko looked up at the drawing. There were 3D flowers covering all of the eri of the kimono, so it looked like she had an animal or something crawling down her chest. "Let's put one flower at my shoulder and the other where it meets the other side. With all the other accessories going in the same spots it will look cluttered," Kyoko stated offhandedly.

"Did you hear her? Please take all those off. Put some light embroidery there like the others," Julie reiterated as if he needed the final word from the older woman.

"Did you want the embroidery in the under clothing as well, Hizuri-sama?" The gentleman asked.

"Yes," Julie answered.

"No." Kyoko countered at the same time.

"It's going to be extremely detailed and heavy with everything already. Everything underneath should be light and comfortable," the bride explained making Julie shrug and nod. Kyoko returned to the tailor. "Please use a simple white design that matches. No extra work to be done on those."

"Very well, Mogami-sama. Please pick out one of the fabrics for those items while I complete this design." Hashimoto pointed to a shelf, in which the two women were actually very familiar with.

Kyoko got a book with a thick set of different silks with small imprinted designs. All of them were thin and felt wonderful under her fingers, and these were only the floor models. She found two she liked, one streaming with bright white sakura blossoms printed in a slightly darker white cloth and another with imprints of different flowers with no color difference. She also got to pick out the accessories to match the kimono. The only thing that couldn't be custom made was the gold fan and her shoes. Though the moment Julie saw the zouri slippers she wanted them changed.

"They don't come in any other design and the dress will be so long you really won't see them, mother." Julie nodded, accepting her explanation, and Kyoko breathed a sigh of relief.

On the third day, Kyoko went to be measured. She went to Kuon's apartment complex, soon to be her apartment complex, and met up with her mother to be. They went to the garage to her rental, and Julie tried to get in on the wrong side of the car again.

Julie growled as she walked around the car and entered the driver's seat. She started the car with Kyoko trying not to laugh. "I wonder if I'll ever get use to driving on the left side of the road." She very carefully pulled into on coming traffic. "I should just have you drive." She glanced at Kyoko.

"You can drive right?" Julie asked.

"Yup, I got my license shortly after I turned twenty." She pulled out her license and held it up.

"Why don't you have a car then?" Julie asked but didn't take her eyes off the road. She was actually a little frightened with the unknown territory. She thought she was going to make a wrong turn and end up on the wrong side of the road. She was very, very aware of what she was doing while driving.

"I really don't see the point. I can walk to almost everything, or I can take my bike. Sometimes I get there faster on my bike then Kuon does in his car with traffic." She put the card back into her purse and looked out the window.

Julie frowned. She didn't like her daughter being so wide in the open. "It's not safe for you to walk around the busy streets of Tokyo, sweetie. It would be safer if you traveled by car. There are a lot of people that know you now and not everyone who approaches you have the best of intentions like wanting a simple autograph."

"I know," Kyoko agreed somewhat. "But I don't get a lot of people coming up to me as it is so I don't think about it. Kuon takes me to jobs if he can. I just got use to it."

Julie chuckled. "I'm only worried about you. You don't know your own fame, but I know my baby will take good care of you."

They arrived there safely, but Julie told her she had to drive her around from now on. Soon, they had her standing on a little pedestal. There were four different measurements for this. For the sleeve length they measured from her shoulder to her ankles. Since she's an unmarried woman the sleeve must be the longest possible. Any formal kimono she wears from now on will have their sleeves shortened to signify her marital status. Next was her body width taking her bust, waist and hip measurements. This measurement was exaggerated a bit since there were so many layers underneath. Now they measured from the left tip of the sleeve across her shoulders to the tip of the right sleeve. This one is mostly for displaying purposes. Since they are buying it, they can provide a way to display the kimono after it's worn. Finally the length, the length will extend past the floor like a train hence the reason she is standing on a pedestal. The dress will be that much longer than her height.

As soon as the measurements were documented, Julie went back to the drawing and had the whole thing reviewed. It made the appointment three times as long. If Julie was this picky over the shiromuku, how was she going to act when shopping for the western bridal gown?

The dress shopping continued and days went past. Tonight, all four members of the Hizuri family will be getting together. Well, three and the future Hizuri. Was that being too presumptuous? Anyway, Kyoko hasn't seen Kuon in about two weeks, but she has seen plenty of his mother and of Kanae. Kanae wasn't able to join them until recently. She wanted to join sooner, but she had to clear her schedule first. She came in for the second dress, the western bridal gown and the two couldn't agree with anything Kyoko put on.

"It doesn't fit her! Look at it. It doesn't even look like a wedding dress." Kanae was standing to her right while Julie stood to her left. She was standing on a little stage surrounded by floor to ceiling mirrors. This was day five of project western gown. It's actually been ten days but only five of those days were they able to spend looking.

"Don't get me wrong, Kyoko. You look beautiful but this is too… sexy for a wedding dress." It was form fitting all the way down to her knees and then flared out a little. The sexy part was the near backless design along with a plunging neckline. She was uncomfortable in it but was trying on anything they told her now.

"It's okay to be sexy in a wedding dress. I'm sure my son won't mind if she's a little sexy for their wedding day," Julie reasoned making Kyoko blush.

"He wouldn't mind her walking down the aisle naked either…" Kanae mumbled under her breath.

"MOKO!" Kyoko yelled embarrassed.

"He wouldn't want anyone else in the room but that's not the point. It's not Kyoko. She's better with the ruffles." Kanae handed her another dress. "Go put this one on."

"Ruffles! She isn't eight years old, Kanae." Julie purposely left off the honorific. "You need something to pinch her waist and enhance her figure." Kyoko picked up the dress Kanae stated anyway and walked to the dressing room while they argued. She didn't even look at the dresses anymore. If they actually agreed on anything, she would but that hasn't happened yet. As soon as she took off a dress, the sales woman came by to put it away. She stood in the massive dressing room in a white strapless bra and lace hipster panties trying to figure out how to put this next dress on. A little jingle she recognized filled the room, and she dived for her purse.

"Help me," Kyoko pleaded as soon as she answered the phone. She was kneeling on the ground huddling in the corner as if she could hide.

A rich voice laughed through the phone, "Where are you?"

"I don't know anymore," she cried playfully. "This is the seventh shop we've been to. I don't even know the name of it. I think we are on the northern side of town now."

"It's okay," Kuon snickered. "Your day is almost over and you can take a break from trying on dresses. Besides, you're the one who wanted a ready made dress. If you simply let mom design it, you wouldn't have to be trying all of those dresses on."

"Hey! I was trying to save money, but I'm about to quit and hand everything over to her. I'm scared of picking out the other two dresses. I don't want to do this two more times," she sobbed. "Is it too late to elope?"

Kuon laughed. "You know they would hunt us down and kill us slowly right? It would be worse than anything you are doing now."

She sighed. "I think I know where you got your temper from by the way. Your mother is scary," she whispered, and there was a loud knock on the door.

"Are you almost done in there?" It was Kanae. "You still have five more dresses to try on from this shop, and Julie-san thinks we can hit one more shop if you hurry."

She covered the mouth piece of her phone and yelled out, "Yes, I'm almost done."

"Do you need any help?" Kanae asked and was about to walk in.

Kyoko burst up and quickly locked the door. "No, I'm fine. Just give me like two more minutes."

"Okay," Kanae said. Kyoko waited for a moment then put the phone back to her ear. "If I tell you that I am standing alone in nothing but a strapless bra and very see through lace panties, will that get you to come rescue me?"

Her husband-to-be groaned on the phone, and she smiled. "If you get here in two minutes, I'll take one of your choosing off," she teased.

"You are a cruel woman," his voice was deep and throaty.

"You don't believe me, huh? Want me to send you a picture?" She smirked on the phone as he growled at her.

"Even if I could get there in two minutes, there was no way I could get you out of the store."

She pouted. "Why not?" She was shifting the dress around in her hands while she pinched the phone to her ear with her shoulder.

"Because I'd lock us in that little dressing room, and you wouldn't be able to wear white anymore," he whispered huskily into her ear. She felt a shiver run down her body as she thought of the things they would do in the little room.

"Kyoko?" Julie called out to her, and she jumped. Her face burned red at the thoughts of her wondering mind.

"Coming," she yelled out and pulled the dress up as she spoke into the phone, "I need to go. Did you need to tell me something?"

"I merely wanted to call. I'm done with today's shoots, so dad and I are going to find a restaurant that will serve him until you are done."

She finished zipping up the dress and stood ready to open the door. "Oh, okay. Then I'll see you soon."

"Yes. Have fun. You'll find something you all like. Bye." They hung up, and Kyoko bravely stepped out. The moment she did both of the women looked at her and shook their head.

"Next," they said in unison. Kyoko turned, shut the door and undressed without a word. She tossed the dress over the door and another came tumbling after.

Kuon's phone buzzed not a few minutes after speaking with Kyoko. He loaded the text she sent and almost fell.

"Whoa, you okay?" Kuu asked, and Kuon coughed putting his phone away.

"Fine, it's a reminder for a meeting tomorrow from Yashiro-san." Kuon unlocked the car and Kuu slipped inside. Kuon rounded the corner and took out his phone again to read the text.

**Please help me! **

And below was a picture of desperate Kyoko kneeling in her mentioned skimpy underwear surrounded by white fabric.


	13. Duty and Honor

Chapter 13

Kyoko finally admitted defeat and told Julie to design every single dress she was wearing. Now Julie didn't draw or make the clothing herself, but she knew what would look good on a woman. On the next free day, they went to four different tailors, the intention of not wanting to over burden a single tailor with multiple items. Each took Kyoko's measurements and each was more than happy to make her a dress with the amount of money Julie was willing to spend.

Three weeks later, all the dresses for the wedding were currently being made and fittings were scheduled as they became available. It was April now just a little less than five months. While the girls picked out clothing, the men were with Lory. They booked the temple, the reception hall and in addition to the photographer, they hired a camera crew. Kuon was happy to announce that no one will be directing the wedding. There was a simple camera crew so that meant photos shoot and filming will be done with a dozen or so experts instead of only one.

They also got information for the florist, several places for catering and the list of things Lory wants to do for entertainment. They also needed to finalize the guest list and send out "Save the date" notices and they had to do that NOW. There was just one thing she still didn't have the courage to do before she could do everything else.

"Don't be so nervous. They'll say yes," Kuon said softly.

"But I'm not their daughter. I've only known them for five years. What if they say yes out of obligation?" Kyoko whined worriedly.

"They won't. They are honorable people that love you dearly. If they don't want to do it they will say so, but you need to ask them first." Kuon gently stroked Kyoko's hair in comfort, and she smiled softly at him. Tonight they were having dinner with the Sasaki couple. The lovely Daruma-ya couple was more than willing to spend their free night with them.

Dinner started and progressed with idle chit-chat and questions about the wedding. Everything was wonderfully prepared by the Taisho, and it was a perfect simple dinner. The meal ended and Kyoko stood up to clean the table up.

"That was delicious. Thank you so much for the meal, Taisho," Kyoko stated and started to walk away.

"Kyoko…." The older couple turned to look at Kuon as he spoke. His voice was threatening, and Kyoko froze in her tracks. He turned a sincere smile to the couple and stood up. "Thank you for the lovely meal. Kyoko would like to ask you something very important to her. I'll take care of the dishes in her place." He bent down and started to clean up. He took Kyoko's dish from her hand last.

"You can do this," he whispered to her. She struck out her hand and grabbed his sleeve.

"Please stay," she pleaded softly looking down. He smiled and nodded. He placed a small kiss on her head, left momentarily to drop off the dishes and came back. Kyoko was sitting properly with the older couple forced to sit and wait for them to speak.

As soon Kuon sat beside her, she started fluster. "We are getting married," she said cheerily.

The Okami-san smiled indulgently. "Yes, Kyoko-chan, we know that."

"Right." Kyoko bit her lip and looked at Kuon. He nodded and smiled encouragingly. She took a deep breath and plastered her face to the floor. "Would you please do me the honor of representing my family?" She said in one complete muffled breath. Kuon fought not to chuckle at her cuteness, while the Sasaki couple tried to convince themselves of what she said.

Kyoko was sweating bullets as nothing was said. Finally she felt someone's hand on the top of her head. She peeked up to find the Taisho looking down at her seriously. Suddenly, he bent down as low as she did making her straighten up, looking at him confused.

"It would be the greatest honor for us to represent your family," he stated without the slightest bit of wavering, and Kyoko couldn't help the big bright smile on her lips.

"But…" he continued.

She frowned. "But?"

He straightened up with his normal stoic expression. "We cannot accept until you've asked the family that raised you first."

Kyoko was stunned, tears started to form in her eyes, and she couldn't breath. Kuon put his hand on her shoulder, and she shook her head as she spoke, "I can't." She whispered, "My mother abandoned me when I was 10. I have no idea or any clue as to where she is. How can I…."

"Not your mother, Kyoko-chan," the older woman interrupted. She put her hand over her husband's, and he placed his on top of hers. "Kyoko, we love you as if you were our very own. It would give us great pleasure to do this for you but you must give that privilege to the Fuwas first. They took care of you until you were 15. We don't think ourselves worthy to do you that honor."

Kyoko couldn't speak. They wanted her to ask _the Fuwas! _Just the thought of going back to that place made her chest constrict. Kuon coughed lightly and spoke, "If I may, when I asked Kyoko about this detail in the wedding she thought of no one but you two for that position. While the Fuwas did raise her, they raised her for their own selfish purposes. They did not show her an ounce of the love that you've shown her these past few years. Please reconsider."

The Okami-san started to cry and the Taisho spoke up, "We cannot. This is a very momentous occasion, and we must give it the proper respect. Contact the Fuwas, if they decline you, then we will be more than happy to take their spot."

Kyoko stood up and ran. They watched her turn the corner and heard her hurried footsteps run up the stairs. Kuon turned to them with a very dangerous face.

"No good will come from this. You are telling her to go back to the place that has nothing but painful memories and talk to people that have forsaken her for the last five years. She loves you. Why didn't you simply accept?" His fists clenched against his thigh.

"The people who should feel betrayed are the Fuwas, Hizuri-san. Their two children left them without a word of their safety or any mention of their well being for the past five years. Yes, the Fuwas might have taken in Kyoko to be a bride to their son but they took her in. They fed her, clothed her and schooled her properly. They were doing what they thought was best for her and their son." The Taisho paused to let that sink in. Kuon felt his anger diminishing but not his annoyance.

"If they didn't, if they rejected the girl and at age 10 her mother still abandoned her, what would have become of our Kyoko? What type of chances does an abandoned girl in the streets of Japan have? I dare not even think about it. I am grateful to the Fuwas and I am not disrespectful enough to take their place at Kyoko's side at her own wedding."

Silence filled the room, and Kuon couldn't argue. He hated the idea of it. He never wanted to see her spill a tear or see her in pain. He stood up and bowed. "I understand but don't agree. I will honor your request and see that she sees it through. I pray that they say no, and that you are forced to agree."

"So do we…," the Taisho looked down sadly. "We very much hope they turn her away even if it does break her heart. We didn't lie when we said that she is very much our daughter."

"If you will excuse me." Kuon walked towards the kitchen, and they stopped him.

"You don't have to do that," The Okami-san said as she stood up.

He smiled softly. "I said I would do it so I will. Just because you said no, doesn't mean our opinions of you changed." He turned to the couple. "I promise you this. Even if the Fuwas actually agree in coming, you are the ones we will be visiting as a family. Not them. Our children will know you as their grandparents not them."

Sasaki Ai burst into tears with a smile that shined like the sun. Her husband quickly took her into his arms and embraced her. He turned to the younger man and nodded. "Thank you."

Kuon bowed, and they turned and left. They went upstairs while Kuon stayed below and cleaned up. In all honestly, he didn't want to leave yet. Doing as he said was a way for him to stay until Kyoko calmed down a little. He was extra thorough, cleaning every dish, pan and counter that he saw. He took out the trash, closed down everything and then headed upstairs.

Kyoko was weeping in her futon when there was a light knock on her door. It was probably the Okami-san ready to apologize. She couldn't handle that right now. "Can it please wait till morning," she called out.

"Kyoko, it's me," Kuon spoke softly. She got up on her hands and knees and crawled over to the door. She slid the door open and then crawled back into her futon with her back to him. Kuon frowned and walked in, closing the door behind him. He squatted down and lay down beside her. He took her, futon and all, and tucked her into his arms and kissed her hair softly. She shifted in her bed, turning towards him and cried.

He didn't know how long she wept, but when she calmed down he spoke, "Kyoko, they really wanted to accept."

"So why didn't they?" She said angrily.

"They felt that they would be cheating the Fuwas the honor since they were the ones who raised you first."

"That's stupid. I was just a servant to them," she pouted.

"They are probably praying right now that they say no, but they wouldn't feel right about it unless they gave the Fuwas the chance first." He didn't want her angry at them. She was upset which was reasonable.

Kyoko took a deep breath and buried her face in his chest. He smiled and hugged her tighter. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, but she was cocooned in her own sheets. She wiggled, and he let her go. She tugged at the blanket and Kuon moved back confused. Finally, she pulled back the blanket to reveal the simple pale green nightie she put on for bed. Kuon gulped and his vision was obscured as she tossed the blanket over him. She wiggled closer to him, and he felt her half naked body press against his fully clothed one.

"Kyoko?" He asked hesitantly. She slipped her leg between his, her thigh too close to his groin for comfort. Her right arm wrapped around him, hugging him closer to her.

"I need you. I don't know what to do. I'm scared," she whispered into his chest and all desire left him. He wrapped his arms around her under the blanket to comfort her as she spoke.

"What if they say yes? I don't know if I want them there and at the same time, I feel bad for that feeling. They didn't do anything as cruel as my mother did to me. They wanted me to marry Sho and live on happily. It wasn't them that broke my heart," she paused. He didn't know what to say. Everything he thought of felt like a step in the wrong direction.

"I want to punish them for what their son did and I hated the thought of that." Kuon's heart thumped painfully as she spoke. He wanted desperately to remove all traces of Sho from her heart, but simply not thinking of him or never talking about it was not the way to bury the past. It would grow back like a weed always there to ruin the beauty of the garden you've created. This is why he didn't say anything, but she had to do this for both of them.

"Tell me about them," he asked. She looked up at him confused.

"The Fuwas?" She murmured, and he nodded. She started to talk about how they treated Sho and what they did for him and he had to stop her.

"No. Don't tell me about Sho. Tell me about them. What they are like? What type of people were they? What did they like to do for fun? What was their relationship like as husband and wife? Tell me about them."

Kyoko had to stop and think about it. She started out small. How they ran their business, what their favorite colors and foods were then she as she started to remember more. She started to smile and recall things they did with her that made her happy and things that made her upset and then she got quiet. For a moment, he thought she fell asleep.

"Kyoko?"

"They are nothing like your parents," she whispered.

He chuckled. "Nobody are like my parents. They are too weird. I don't think there is a person who can eat as much as dad and mom is a character in her own world." He smiled. "They make the biggest deal of things that others would just…"

"No," she interrupted, "I mean, your parents ask me about my day. They ask about how I am and what new roles I'm playing, and if I need help with any of it. They tell me how proud they are when they watch a new episode of my shows or ways to help improve my performance for next time."

Kuon smiled thinking about his parents. They always did their best to make you the center of the world. That was probably why everyone loved them so much. He was brought out his thoughts when she spoke.

"The Fuwas never asked me about my day. The only time they asked me how I am when I was obviously sick. They only acknowledged me when they were teaching me my duties. When I finally mastered the katsuramuki technique they merely smiled and clapped politely. Any gift I received was out of obligation." She fell silent again.

"What do you want to do?" He asked her.

She sighed. "I'll ask them, but I don't have the time to go visit them. I'll try and give them a call tomorrow and ask them."

She sounded so sad. He wanted to do more for her. "Are you sure that's enough? There is always time to do things that need to be done. If you need to see them in person for this, then things can be put on hold for it," he paused, "I can come with you if you like as well. I'll drive us down there."

Kyoko didn't reply, but he didn't add anymore. The offer will be there for her to take until she took him up on it or got their decision another way. He gently stoked her back and looked around the room. Gone were the posters on the wall, instead there were pictures. There were dozens of pictures of her with her friends, Kanae and Chiori, of her and Maria becoming a beautiful teenage girl, her with the cast members of her roles and then there were pictures of him. There were lots of pictures of him alone and then of them together. All of them real and not staged. All of them with happy smiling faces of her new life.

"No," she started, bringing his attention back on her. "I'll call them. If I'm right about them, they will not acknowledge me as their daughter. I was only their daughter when I was with Sho. Without him at my side, I do not matter to them."

Kuon hated the way she phrased that. He gently took her chin in his hand and lifted her face up to him. Her eyes were red and blotchy from the crying, but she had this stone cold look in her eyes, one that told of her jaded past and the struggles she went through to get past it.

"If they are so foolish to not see you for the wonderful woman you are then they are blind and are not worthy of your love or your thoughts. You have two people ready and willing to take their place the moment they say no. You know that Lory would take their place at your side and probably ruin their business into the ground if he knew about this." Her eyes went wide in shock and he smiled.

"I'm not going to tell him. Are you?" She shook her head and he continued, "Don't even mention this to my parents. You know they would kill for you and so would I if only to never see you in pain." He pressed a light kiss on her lips and caressed her cheek.

"Do you want me to be there when you call?" He asked softly, and she nodded. "What time are you going to call them? I'll make sure that Yashiro can excuse me during that time."

Kyoko looked up at him in fear. "You're leaving?"

"As soon as I know you are okay, yes."

She pressed her body against him and hooked her leg around his right. "Please don't go. Stay with me tonight." She breathed against his neck causing a shiver to run down his body. He could feel the cloth riding up around her hips, the softness of her legs teasing him mercilessly through his slacks. She felt so warm and so good.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Kuon whispered into her hair, and she looked up at him. She shifted her body completely against his and pressed her lips against his. He moaned softly and her mouth ate the sound. He wrapped his arms around her body and the feel of her soft flesh under his hand tipped the scale. He rolled her over onto her back and took over. His tongue ravaged hers, and she whimpered in response.

Kyoko embraced him fully. Her hand sunk into his hair tugging lightly. Her legs wrapped around his waist sinfully. Once his hands found the soft giving flesh of her thighs, she knew he was gone. He pushed off the floor pulling them into a sitting position with her straddling him. He moved his lips down to her jaw and licked down her neck. She moaned as he hit a sweet spot, and his hand immediately covered her mouth.

"Shh…," he hushed her. He removed his hand from her mouth as she blushed, remembering where they were. She was going to hop off but he started kissing her neck again. Her eyes closed as he lightly kissed that spot again. His hands kept her in his lap, running up her thighs and under the nightie. He ran his hands over her hips and squeezed her butt, making her rock against him. He bit her shoulder making her whimper as she moved back down. Kuon pulled away and with one quick motion removed her nightgown.

Kyoko was naked except for her panties. She wanted to say stop, they couldn't do this here, but she didn't want him to stop. She wanted him here because she didn't want to be alone but forgot one major flaw. Kyoko wanted him as much as Kuon wanted her. The kiss she meant as a persuader backfired and lit her own desires for him. The feel of his hard flesh on her body felt wonderful. His scent enveloping her in her own room was not common and gave her a rush.

He laid her down and captured her rosy tipped breasts, one in his mouth and the other in his hand. She squeaked rather loudly, and his hand came back up to her mouth. It still didn't stop him. He circled the little round tip with his tongue until it grew hard as a rock, and then took it between his teeth, tugging gently, making her groan against his hand. He let her go roughly and whisked it with his tongue. He moved to the other pinching it with his lips, sucking and tasting it making the woman beneath him squirm, her breathing becoming erratic and harsh. Kyoko pushed his hand away so she could breathe and panted softly as he kissed his way down her stomach. His fingers slipped into the elastic of her panties and started to roll them off when she stopped him causing him to look up.

"Wait… I can't. I mean," she looked at the door, "What if I make too much noise?"

Kuon smiled at her and took off her panties. "Then don't." He kissed her knee and started to pull her thighs open, kissing and licking the inside of her thigh. She still looked worried.

"How about this," he lay down between her legs, his face mere inches away from her dripping center as he spoke, "If you make even the smallest noise, I'll stop."

She looked at him like he was crazy, and he sent her a challenging smirk. She watched him sink down lower and her body went into a spasm as he licked her. She fell back as he kissed her, lightly circling her center with the tip of his tongue. She pressed her lips together and her hands clenched at her sheets all to keep from making a noise.

He watched her as he tasted her. She was beautiful and oh so sexy as she tried so hard not to make a sound. Kuon wanted to hear her cry out, to moan his name and scream but her lack of sound turned him on as well. He felt like he was a teenager again. He ran his tongue over her eager bud, and she buckled against him. She arched her back and tightened her hold on him.

He shifted her position, making it harder for her to move. He rested her thighs on his shoulders, her feet hanging in the air. She squirmed under him, but couldn't move her hips as much without the support of her legs. Kyoko gasped as he slipped his tongue inside of her. Her breast moving playfully as she panted. He slid his hand up her body and cupped her breast, kneading it gently. That pushed her legs farther towards her and deepened the kiss he gave her making her moan out softly, and he stopped.

"No!" She whispered harshly, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Don't stop." She tried to hold him down with her legs. He simply brushed them off and smirked at her.

"I thought you didn't want to make any noise. If I stop, you won't make any." His voice said this but his actions were still running wild. His hands ran up and down her body, teasing her breast and running up and down her thighs. He was still between her thighs ready to continue because he had every intention of doing so.

"You can't leave me like this. I'm sorry. Please, please don't stop," Kyoko pleaded with him, her body crying out for his attentions. Kuon smiled at her, not responding to her plea. His hand ran down her inner thigh and lightly played with her curls, tugging them gently around her womanhood. He ran his finger very lightly around the edges making her whimper lightly, and he removed his hand.

"You did it again," he teased, and she almost cried. He ran his hand up her body to cradle her face. "What are we going to do about that?" He asked her and ran his thumb over her lip. She licked her lips in effect licking his thumb, and he smiled. She licked his thumb in purpose again as he pressed it against her lips. Taking the hint, she took his thumb into her mouth and sucked on it.

"Let's test it." He slid his other hand down to her folds and suddenly ran two fingers across her soaked flesh. She bit his thumb and let go as soon as she realized what she did. She looked at him worried, but he just smiled.

Kuon sunk back down but kept his hand at her mouth. He worked her up again. Slowly working his way inside of her while she sucked and licked his fingers. If she felt like screaming she bit down on his palm or simply covered her mouth completely. When he finally pushed her over the edge, she grabbed her pillow and covered her whole face in a muffled scream. He let go of his hold on her, and she fell limp in her futon. He kissed her hip and her stomach, and she felt him move away.

"I'll be right back." He kissed her shoulder and then covered her body with the blanket. He left the room, and she was left in the glow. He did come back, after cleaning up and slipped off his shirt and belt but kept his slacks on, and slipped in beside her, letting her keep most of the blankets. She rolled onto her side towards him, draping her very naked self against him and fell asleep.


	14. Revelations

Chapter 14

Kyoko woke up completely rolled up from chin to toe in her futon, and she felt more than warm. In fact, she was boiling up. She pulled her arms out of the cocoon and sat up. The cooler air of the room quickly kissed her sweat covered skin making her remember how very naked she was. She covered her breast with her arms and found the reason why she was in her situation. Her fiancé was sleeping silently on his side, his right arm bent under his head for a pillow and the other laid limp on top of her pile of blankets.

It was no wonder why she didn't feel him. She looked at what was on top of her. Besides her normal futon blanket, she found three other rather warm quilts piled on top of her as well. She knew them to be hers to be used for colder nights but not all at once. The others were for studying or simply lying on.

Her skin has cooled down and was starting to get uncomfortable. Kyoko found her green nightie from last night and quickly slipped it on. As soon as she was covered, she allowed herself to admire her bed partner and smiled at him. He was breathing peacefully. The only movement was the soft rise and fall of his upper body. She lied down on her left side slightly above his head and braced herself on the palm of her hand.

The more she looked at him, the more she wanted to touch him. At the same time, she didn't want to wake him up. Her hand hovered over his hair and then gently moved a lock of hair hiding his eye behind his ear. It promptly fell back right where it was, and she snickered. She did it again to the same lock making him twitch as she tickled his ear. Kyoko snapped her hand back the moment he moved then waited.

Kuon settled, and she reached over him again. Instead of playing with his hair, she gently ran the pad of her finger on the rim of his ear. He shifted slightly, nuzzling his head against his arm. She did it again, and his hand flew up to brush his ear. She laughed soundlessly, her hand covering the grin on her face. She did it for the fourth time but he didn't move right away as she expected, so she continued. She ran down his ear then reached his jaw. She traced the strong edge of his jaw down to the tip of his chin. She backtracked down to the hollow under his chin and more fingers joined the first as she caressed his throat.

She didn't notice him open his eyes and look at her. Her ribs were almost touching the top of his head as she traced down to his collarbone and over it to his shoulder. She went down his arm as far she could lost in the simple act. She shifted herself closer to him and that's when he made his move. He arched his body back and slid his free hand overhead, his hand gliding up her back. He tilted his head back and kissed her diaphragm making her jumped in shock.

"Good Morning," he whispered against her tummy and nuzzled his face against her.

She giggled and briefly hugged his head. "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Uh, I guess." Kuon smiled and groaned as he finally took the weight off his arm pillow. He let himself fall onto his back and sat up. "I haven't slept on the floor for a while." He glanced behind him and then rotated his shoulder. "I think I've gotten spoiled with my bed."

She laughed. "You spoiled? I don't believe it." She went to her hands and knees and crawled over to him. He rotated his neck, and she heard it pop. She kissed the middle of his back and he straightened trying to look behind him. She went to her knees and started massaging his shoulders.

"Thank you for staying over," she whispered in his ear.

"Hmm... It was my pleasure," he murmured back with a smile.

Kyoko moved forward, pressing herself against his back. She slowly slid her arms down his chest and hugged him. "Thank you for the other thing too," she breathed against his cheek.

He smirked and turned towards her face. "That was definitely my pleasure," he spoke against her lips. She smirked and kissed him. His hand reached up and sunk his fingers into her hair as they deepened the kiss. He twisted towards her, took her waist and pulled her into his lap. She laughed playfully and cuddled up against him.

"You know, you felt sort of cold when you were sleeping. Why would I have 60 blankets on me while you didn't have a single one?"

"Four, you had four and I was fine. It was only a light chill." He hugged her closer and nuzzled her hair. "See I'm very warm now," he whispered.

He was. Her hand slid down the warm skin she was constantly craving recently. "So why did I have four blankets? I'm fine with one on normal days."

"Oh well." She watched his eyes roam down her body. It made her skin burn as if he was touching her. "Your blanket was slipping off while you slept," he told her as his eyes settled over her breast. His hand reached up and he ran his knuckles over the cloth that covered her. "And certain things started to get cold and hard." Kuon turned his sinful eyes back toward hers.

"Ah." She pulled his hand away from her breast and weaved their fingers together. "So why didn't you keep me warm?"

"I thought I did," he said innocently which made her laugh.

"You know the reason I don't move in with you is because I thought the moment we were alone together for a whole night, we would…," she looked up at him shyly, "well, we wouldn't get much sleep."

"Do you really think so little of me?" She blinked up at him at the seriousness of his voice. "I wouldn't do anything you didn't want to do. I wanted you to move in so we could be together, just together talking, eating, running lines, watching movies or doing nothing. It would be easier than to schedule something and worrying about when I had to take you home. I could spend those ten minutes before going to bed talking to you in person rather than on the phone."

Kyoko looked down a little ashamed. The moment he asked her to move in she thought of _that_. Her mind filled with the evenings she fell victim to his charms and thought it would be like that every night. Now, she thought of the dates they spent alone in his place where nothing happened. The dinners she cooked and movies they acted with each other while they watched them.

"Don't get me wrong. It would make things extremely difficult with the way you've been acting recently…," he teased her a little. It wasn't his intention to make her feel upset.

"The way I've been acting?" Her brow creased puzzled.

Kuon chuckled. "You haven't noticed? Nothing at all?" She shook her head not understanding what he was trying to say. He smiled and tilted her head for a kiss. He kissed her softly, and she still didn't understand. He kissed her again just as softly and caressed her face. He smoothed out the wrinkles on her forehead and then slid a finger down the bridge of her nose. Kyoko laughed softly and flinched away as he softly pinched the tip of her nose. He cupped her face and kissed her again. His tongue lightly licked her lips. She barely felt it.

Kuon started to pull back and she followed. She placed her hand on the back of his neck bringing him back to her lips. Her left arm joined the other around his shoulder and pulled herself closer to him. The kiss deepened, her tongue slipping out and licking his lips and slipping past them. She felt him grip the fabric of her nightie tightly, crumbling it in the middle of her back.

The arm supporting her tensed under her rib. Without much thought, she decided to sit up to free his arm. Kyoko wiggled up still trying to keep their lip lock going. She pulled herself up, and he groaned into her mouth as she moved. She found a place to sit comfortably and was able to do more in this position than before. She let her right hand drop, slowly rounding from behind his neck to touch his face while he fed from her mouth as if he was ravenous.

She ran her hand down his arm feeling the curve of muscle that loved to hold her. As she lowered her hand, his hand came down from her back. Kuon slid his hand down to her waist and then skipped down to her knee. He squeezed gently and she slid her leg forward, her knee bending up urging his hand over her thigh. She moved her hand to his stomach, her fingers tenderly touching the soft muscle. She slowly grazed her fingertips up, over his ribs and placed her palm over his heart. It was beating wildly just as much as hers was.

Kyoko loved him so much, she couldn't get enough. Her hand slipped down, her fingers brushing over his dark little nipple and got distracted. She played with the hardening little bead and then explored the smooth flesh around it. She felt him move, her thigh growing cold the moment he removed his hand. He was shifting, wiggling and then he stopped. He pulled away from the kiss, breathing heavy. She opened her eyes slightly just enough to see his face a breath away. He was looking away so she thought to bring him back. She kissed his jaw then nipped it. She felt him flinch at the sudden pain and smiled. She licked that spot and moved down his throat. He tasted as good as he looked.

"Kyoko," Kuon whispered to her and she looked up. She got his attention back. Kyoko smiled and pulled him in for another kiss. She loved his kisses, his soft full lips, the slick tongue that made her feel hot all over. She almost caught it again, but he pulled back.

"Kyoko, look," he was talking and she blinked at him wondering what he wanted. He wiggled something, and she turned towards it. It was his phone.

"What? Do you have a call?" She murmured not understanding why they stopped.

He smiled. "No, I want you to look at the picture." He pushed a button to make the backlight come back up. She shifted against him and his eyes closed as he waited. She took the phone, and he rested his head on her shoulder.

On his phone was a picture of her and him taken just seconds ago. Her eyes widened as she looked at it. He had his arm up and was facing it but wasn't really looking. His eyes were closed and he had this very sexy expression on his face. While he did look extremely sexy shirtless, it was how she looked that stunned her.

Her face was burying in his neck, her jaw stretching open as if she was going to bite him. The strap on her shoulder was half way down her arm, pulling the nightie down, revealing most of her breast. She followed her arm down to her hand that was playing with his nipple between her fingers. Then finally, her comfortable sitting position was directly on his crotch with her nightie wrapped around her waist. She was showing off every ounce of skin from her hip to her calf where the picture stopped. Her only blessing was that her thigh was high enough to cover everything important.

Kyoko pushed away from him, fixing her clothing as she moved back. His arms didn't want to let her go and she felt that resistance. She felt her body heat up, not only her face. She was sure every bit of her skin was crimson red. She sat down properly almost a yard away from him, the green nightgown covering her completely without the threat of slipping.

Kuon leaned forward with a sad expression. "I didn't want to upset you. I only wanted to let you know." He crawled forward as she stared at the picture.

She pressed her lips together in frustration. She didn't know how to feel about this. She was embarrassed, upset, ashamed, intrigued and under it all she was still excited from earlier. She looked at the picture and couldn't believe that it was her. You couldn't see her face. It looked like a celebrity playboy with his one night stand and he took a picture as a souvenir. The woman in his lap was exuding sex. She was drowning him in it, the way she licked his skin, the way she held him. All the different places she touched him sexually with her whole body, her mouth, hands and hips encouraged the most intimate parts of him. Just from his expression alone you could tell how enthralled he was.

She licked her lips trying to think of what to say. "I've been doing things like this often?" A thought ran through her mind. "I don't do this in public, do I?" She wasn't able to look at him as she asked, but could feel him sit next to her.

He laughed softly. "No, you only act like this when we are alone and not exactly like this but yes." Kyoko shivered as his breath caressed her shoulder. "Recently, you've gotten bolder," his fingertips touched her elbow, "saying things," he slowly ran the back of his fingers up her bicep, "doing things," he finished and kissed her shoulder softly.

"It's been making things…" His voice drifted off. She turned to look at him with hazy eyes; their lips a gentle push away.

"Hard?" She whispered seductively, and he smirked.

"Yes, very," Kuon replied huskily. Neither of them closed the distance between them but the air felt thick with tension. She blinked and forced herself to look back at the phone.

"There's more," he said casually. She turned towards him and then back to the phone. She pushed the button to scroll through the pictures. Next was a picture of her smiling for him somewhere.

"This is fine." She scrolled to another picture. She was looking up at something completely oblivious of what he was doing. Next was one of her wearing a funny hat on one of their shopping trips. "These aren't anything to be worried about."

"Keep going." He was sitting behind her now, with his head peeking over her shoulder as she looked at the pictures. She started scrolling through the pictures of her and them or her with others. Either way, she was always in each of them. Then she found a picture of her blowing a kiss to him. Another of her in a swim suit she bought with Kanae. Next was a picture taken from above her that apparently showed her minimal chest to a very nice advantage.

"I remember this. Chiori-chan took this picture. I remember she was standing on something and took a picture of me straight down. As soon as she snapped it, she crashed right on top of me." She laughed as she remembered it. "She hurt her wrist and said it was karma. I didn't even think about the picture she took. I took her to the nurse immediately."

"This one doesn't count, since I didn't take it." She pointed out and then continued searching.

"So then the others do?" Kuon asked curiously.

"I guess so. I don't really think of anything when taking my picture. The kiss was just you taking a picture so I gave you a kiss. I wanted your opinion on the swimsuit and the other wasn't me."

He snorted. "Okay, explain this one." His arms came from behind her and he pressed the button a couple times. There was her most recent entry. She was in her underwear sitting in a sea of white. She was leaning forward with an innocent pleading look on her face.

"I was trying to persuade you." Kyoko pouted at the picture.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and abruptly forced her against him. He whispered throatily in her ear, "To do what? The only thing that picture wanted me to do was lock you in a room with me and a box of condoms."

She blushed and replied suddenly out of breath, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" He laughed maliciously. "First, you tease me telling me you are half naked and offered to take more off if I was there." She gasped as he lifted her up slightly and set her in his lap with her back to him. Her legs came forward, her knees going up in front of her chest.

"You knew I couldn't pick you up." Kuon grabbed her hips and forced her to feel him against her.

"You were just playing with me," he said harshly. She could feel how very hard he was against her butt. His hands let go of her hips and slid his right up her thigh to her knee and his left came up and cupped her chin, forcing her neck to stretch out before him.

"And yet you still sent the picture. Why?" His heated breathe against her neck gave her goosebumps. He tried to slip his fingers between her thighs but she let her legs fall to the left, stopping him from spreading her legs.

"I don't know," she sighed. His hand ran up the outside of her thigh and slowly started to move the hem of the nightie up and over her hip. Kyoko tried to stop him, tried to keep the fabric down.

"That's not true. Tell me why?" Kuon quietly ordered. He pushed his hand further up smoothing over her hip, up to her stomach. She kept the cloth over her sex, but it didn't stop him from touching her in other places.

"I can't. I don't know. I just did it. I thought…," she swallowed as he kissed her neck, "I thought…" Her mouth went dry as his hand slid over her ribs but fell short of her breast. She was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling drastically.

"What? You thought what?" He asked breathlessly, his lips craving the sweet taste of her skin rather than simply talking. Before Kyoko knew it, she forgot about covering herself up. She could only feel the weight of his hand, the heat of it so very close to where she was aching for him to go.

"You'd like it. I thought you would like it. I really wanted you to come over, to come in and lock us up together in the room," she finally admitted to him – to herself. He let go of her chin, and she continued, "I wanted to you do to those things you mentioned and more." She twisted her neck to look at him. Her hand met with his under her nightie.

"I want you. My body wants you so very badly," Kyoko confessed and then leaned back and forced his hand over her breast. She groaned loudly, and he quickly kissed her to silence the sound. She made his hand squeeze her breast as she sucked on his tongue. They kissed until her lungs burned, and she broke off gasping.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you or make things worse for you." Kyoko removed her hand over his but he didn't move from her breast. "I only wanted you to look at me more, to touch me more. I love you, Kuon. I never wanted to hurt you."

Everything was a blur. She felt him grab her and set her on the floor. His hands rushed over the fabric of the nightie. She heard him grunt and the fabric rip and then his hands and mouth were everywhere, chasing each other and leaving quakes behind. He pulled up and kissed her. It was aggressive and wild, wet and messy. She felt his fingers at her opening and he wasted no time inside of her. She moaned into his mouth, his fingers covered in her excitement the moment he touched her. He slipped two then three fingers in shallowly stretching her. Distracted by his fingers, she didn't notice what he was doing until she felt him.

Her heart began to race as she felt his naked thigh against her leg. Kuon pulled away from her core, his hands going to her thighs and lifted her legs up to wrap around his hips. She tensed up the moment she felt him at her entrance. _No, no! I want this. Relax. Relax! _She cried to herself but he slipped over her not into her. He rubbed his length against her, sliding his thick hardness between her folds, across her overly sensitive clit and then back down. It felt so good, the long sure strokes, so hard so fast. He ended the kiss and sunk his head down beside her. He panted as heavily as she did. She spread her legs wider, wanting to feel more, to increase the friction.

"Kuon, please," she begged as quietly as she could.

"No. No," he panted, "No." He repeated over and over again. She tried to move her hips, to make him slip in. He felt her and made shallower but harder thrusts.

Kyoko whimpered. She was getting closer but wanted him completely first. With the way he moved, the way she felt, she wouldn't be able to last much longer. "Yes, I'm ready. Please," she pleaded.

"I can't. Just…" He slipped all the way down and she prepared herself but he didn't deliver. Kuon rubbed his head against her clit and brought her over and then himself. She let go a long labored breath as he groaned into her shoulder. He was panting and she felt him grow soft against her. He leaned down and kissed her. After a moment, he rolled off to her side and onto his back. She stayed still for a moment, trying to regain her sense of self. It wasn't long until she was forced to move. This was the first time that Kuon has ever come around her, let alone on her. The moment he left, his seed grew cold, too cold for comfort. She lifted herself up on her elbows and peered down.

He watched her tentatively explore this new substance on her stomach, and he blushed. "I'm sorry," he murmured to her.

"Hmm… it's okay but I have to ask. Why didn't you?" She had her fill of the slimy substance and wanted it off. She sat up and used the tattered nightie. It was already trashed, might as well.

It was his turn to be confused and asked, "Why didn't I what?"

Kyoko handed him the cloth and he cleaned up as well then tossed it in the small basket she used for trash. When he turned back she was moving over him, she lay down on top of him, her skin already chilled from being exposed to the cold air for so long.

"Why didn't you…" She didn't know quite how to phrase it, "go in?" She blushed as she said it.

He lazily ran his hand down her back. "No protection. Sorry, I thought that if we ended up making love it would be at my place not yours."

She laughed. "That makes sense. Though now we have something new to try." She smiled up at him.

"You want to go try it again? We can be at my place in like 10 minutes." He looked like a hopeful puppy wagging his tail.

She chuckled shaking her head and then rolled off of him. He pouted playfully trying to get her back into his arms, but she slipped on a robe and spoke as she gathered her things for a bath. "No, no more playing. We should start the day. We have to meet your parents to finalize the guest list and then we need go get the "Save the date" cards, and you are not getting away with addressing all of them. We only have five months left and everyone we are inviting needs like a year to commit to something. We'll be lucky if anyone attends our wedding."

"Hey, that sounds great to me," he said jokingly.

She looked down at him. He was still completely naked and didn't seem to care about getting dressed. She blushed as her eyes went down his frame. "I'd ask you to join me but this isn't really the proper place." She wiggled her bathing kit, and he smiled.

He stood up and started slipping his clothes back on. "That's fine. Are we going straight to my place after you get dressed or do you want to make the call here?" The moment he asked, a dark cloud formed over her head.

"Did you forget?" He walked over and ran his fingers through her hair.

She shook her head. "Yes and no. I didn't forget but I also didn't think about it at all until now. I have something else I much rather think about." She hopped up lightly on her toes and gave him a quick kiss. "And yes, after I take my bath, we can head straight over. I'll call them at your place. Besides, I'm sure your parents are already there ringing your doorbell wondering where you are."

He looked at his watch. "I don't think they are done with breakfast yet. In fact, we might have time to eat with them. I hope you don't mind but I rather take a shower at my place that way I can put on some clean clothes."

Kyoko nodded and left. The moment she did, Kuon really didn't know what to do. In his younger years, he would have climbed out the window. Well, actually he would simply walk out the front door to the girl's father screaming bloody murder. He didn't care then but today was a different story. He wasn't expecting to stay, let alone everything else. He could either hide like a coward in her room till she was done or face her guardians like a man. He frowned, a man in dirty clothes.

He sighed. This was not going to help his image at all. The only point he had going for him was the fact that this was his fiancée. There was no shame in anything he does with her. He slipped on his shirt and buttoned it up. Bending down slightly, he fixed his hair as best he could in her little mirror. Calling out his old, but still very useful, persona, he walked out the door and headed down stairs. He wished the restaurant she lived in was one that was open for breakfast that way the said owners would be too busy to see to him. Unfortunately, as soon as he stepped onto the main floor, he was greeted by the Okami.

"Good morning, Hizuri-san. Will Kyoko and you be joining us for breakfast?" She had a big knowing smile on her face, and he fought not to blush.

He bowed. "I'm sorry, but as soon as she is ready we have to go. We are meeting with my parents to finalize the guest list. We were hoping to catch them at breakfast."

The lovely older woman nodded and then frowned. "But won't they be done before you get there?"

His smile widened. "No, Sasaki-san. My father has at least another hour of eating before he's done. He will be happy to have us join him so he could eat a little longer." The more he thought about it the less and less he wanted to eat. Merely thinking about his father eating made Kuon full.

"Oh my. Well okay. You are welcome to join us until she is ready if you like." Ai offered and stepped back into their private dinning room. Kuon wanted to run. He wanted to hide, but instead went inside. He bowed politely to the intimidating man eating his bowl of rice.

"Good Morning, Taisho," Kuon greeted with a timid smile. The man merely looked at Kuon in response. It was his normal greeting and oddly enough it put Kuon at ease. He thought for sure there was a meat cleaver waiting for him the moment their eyes met. The young man sat opposite the older couple and was again relieved as the Okami-san filled the room with chatter. He smiled and was able to keep up the conversation. She talked about a movie she had seen recently, saying that she didn't get to see much because of the restaurant. It was an older popular movie that was done about four years ago, a light romantic comedy. He remembered it well and they joked about some of the scenes in it. She made the wait short and Kyoko was down stairs in flash. Her hair was even dry.

"Good Morning," Kyoko greeted and bowed. She blushed lightly as her eyes rested on Kuon. "I'm so sorry I can't have breakfast with you today. I'm going…"

"Hizuri-san told us. You are doing the guest list today. Don't worry about us and enjoy the day." The Okami stood up and went to hug Kyoko goodbye. The Taisho waved his chopsticks at Kyoko. He truly did care for her a great deal


	15. Guest List

Chapter 15

As soon as they were in his car, she let out large breath. "That was odd."

Kuon laughed. "It was, wasn't it? I was tempted to stay in your room till we left."

"I was expecting you to, but I think it was good that you didn't," she said as she riffled through her purse.

"Why is that?" He asked curiously.

"Well I took a bath and didn't bring a change of clothes. I don't think we would have made it out in time if you were still in the room," she said it like it was a fact. It sort of annoyed him.

"Kyoko, I'm not a sex fiend. I love you, I want you, yes, but I can restrain myself from attacking you every time I see you."

She looked over at him, a little stunned at his tone. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely, "but I wasn't talking about you. Please don't get mad," she said softly.

He blinked and had to rethink what was said. Now, he felt ashamed and embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you. It's always the male in the relationship that is considered the pervert," he sighed solemnly. "I'm not used to the fact that I'm marrying one now."

"WHAT!" She laughed and sounded outraged, "You jerk!" She grabbed her purse and proceeded to smack him with it.

"Hey, hey!" He lifted his arm to block off the attacks while laughing. "I'm driving here. I don't want to crash and die before we get married."

Now that crossed the line. "Don't say stuff like that! You are not allowed to die before or after the marriage." Kyoko pouted and crossed her arms over her chest in a huff.

His laughter died down and he glanced at her as he drove. "You're right I'm sorry. I want to live a long and happy life with you." He reached for her hand and gently pried it out of her grip. He brought it to his lips and kissed it.

"Good. If you did die early, then I will expect you to haunt me until I joined you."

Kuon snorted. "Excuse me? Haunt you?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you know. Your ghost will stay with me and keep me company, show your face in mirrors. Your silhouette will appear in the hall in the middle of the night. Then maybe you'll be good enough to move stuff around and even touch me."

He busted out laughing making her jump. "Haunt you? You even want me to make love to you when I'm a ghost. Do you have any idea how creepy that sounds, Kyoko?"

"I didn't say make love to me! I said touch me, like my shoulder or my cheek. Now who's the pervert?" She teased.

"And whose fault do you think that is?" He accused her, and she shook her head.

"It's yours. If I'm a pervert, it's because of you, Mr. Experiments." She looked away haughtily.

"I've never heard you complain about my experiments. Is this you complaining and wanting me to stop?" He goaded her.

Kyoko blushed and quietly replied, "No. I like playing around with you." She said, lightly drawing on the back of his hand and up his arm.

"That's my pervert wife," he said proudly, and she smacked him again. They arrived at his building and pulled in. Kyoko was looking for a list she had written on her free time on set. It was a list of everyone she wanted to invite. It ended up being about four pages with the tiny little notebook she had. The elevator dinged and she stepped off with Kuon mindlessly and stopped when he did.

"You don't have to come with me. I'm going to shower and change then head upstairs."

She looked up and around. "Oh, right." She looked up at him. "I can wait if you want to go together. I don't mind either way."

"Aren't you hungry?" He reminded her, and she salivated at the sound of food. He smiled. "I thought so. Go up, room 1506 and I'll be right up. I promise you won't even know I'm missing."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't believe that, but okay." She rose to her tippy toes, and he leaned down for a brief kiss. "I'll see you soon then." She turned back to the elevator and luckily caught it before anyone else used it. Kuon turned down the hall and disappeared for his long awaited shower.

Kyoko perked up the moment the elevator dinged open. She stepped onto the floor and it looked exactly like the twelfth floor. Not that she was expecting anything different, okay maybe a little. If President Takarada-san owned this building, every floor would have had a different theme. She smiled thinking about it. Lost in her thoughts, she forgot to look for the apartment number. Stopping and looking around, she found 1508.

"Oops." She backtracked and found 1506. She quickly raised her fist and knocked. A moment later she heard Julie yelling.

"Kuu, get the door! The delivery boy is here!" Kyoko glanced up and down the hall puzzled. She didn't see anyone in the hall but her. She looked at the clock and it was a little after nine. Did restaurants really deliver at this time? The door swung open to Kuu with his credit card in hand.

"Good morning, father," she said cheerily.

"Julie, it's our daughter!" He yelled back and then turned back to Kyoko. "Good Morning, Kyoko," Kuu said with a cheery smile, stepped up to her and lifted her into a bear hug. She giggled as he walked back and closed the door behind them. Julie came up with an easy smile as Kuu set her down.

"Good morning, mother," she raised her arms to the beautiful woman, and she responded in kind giving Kyoko a loving hug.

"How is my little girl?" She looked at the door and asked, "And where is my baby boy?"

"He is in his apartment taking a shower. He will be up momentarily," she answered as she slipped off her shoes and stepped up onto the floor.

"I thought we were going downstairs do to the guest list. Is everything okay?" She was worried. Her two children were very diligent in their schedules, not on purpose but by practice, meet here at this time and this place, no exception.

"Ah, well we woke up a little bit ago and he mentioned that father might still be eating," she asked hopefully and Kuu nodded, "and he didn't think you would mind if we joined you."

Julie hugged Kyoko again briefly and agreed, "Of course not." She pulled away with her hands still on Kyoko's arms. "Please, come in. I'm sorry to say that the food is gone, but more should be coming in. We placed the order at 6:30 this morning but of course they weren't prepared to make that much so they were sending it in batches. The third one should be here soon."

There was a knock at the door. "Speak of the devil." Kuu whooshed open the door to reveal Kuon holding up four bags of food.

"I bring food for safe passage," he joked and stepped in.

"That will only buy you an hour." Kuu took the bags from his right hand then hugged his son. "Good morning, son."

"Morning, dad." Julie came up, and Kuu took the remaining two bags. He hugged his mother and greeted her too, "Good morning, mom." She stepped away and started walking back to the kitchen for two more place settings. Kuon quickly hugged Kyoko from behind before she walked away.

"I'm glad they weren't doing what we were doing when they knocked on my door with food in hand," he whispered. She had to think about that for a moment and then blushed. When Kuu and Julie arrived on their doorstep with their dinner, Kuon had his pants down and Kyoko had her hands full.

"I agree," she replied and they laughed as they walked into the condo. The layout was pretty much the same as Kuon's but backwards. They walked in and sat down to the ever growing meal. Julie was the last to sit, setting a pot of tea in the middle of everything.

"So how was the sleep over?" She asked suddenly. Kuon who had just taken a bite of food started hacking and coughing hysterically. Kyoko was blushing like mad slowly chewing her food. Julie smiled hitting the nail on the head.

"Julie, sweetheart, that really isn't something a mother should ask or even care to know," Kuu said casually in between bites.

"Did you tell them?" Kuon spoke to Kyoko, and she shook her head franticly.

"Oh, please, it's written all over your faces and she said "We" woke up. It isn't hard to put one and one together. Or at least I didn't think it would be for you, Kuon," Julie teased.

"MOM!" He felt like a kid around her sometimes. He wanted to sink under the table or storm off in a tantrum.

"What? I was a little shocked by it that's all. I mean you lost your vir.."

"**MOTHER!**" Kuon yelled out, and she went quiet. "Please stop," he begged quietly. "Kyoko and I have an understanding. We are waiting for the wedding and that's that. Drop it."

The room was silent with clinking dishes, the chewing of food and the sipping of tea. The forcibly dropped conversation weighing heavy on everyone's mind and then it snapped.

"Why are you waiting?" Julie started, and Kuon let his head slam on the table.

"Kuon!" Kyoko yelled out and rushed to his aid as Julie kept talking.

"Kyoko, haven't I told you to always try on the merchandise before you buy it," Julie started talking about this sensitive topic as if it was the current weather. "What if he is terrible in bed? Though I really don't believe that to be true if the noises in his room when he was living with us was real," Kuon thumped his head harder on the table, "but still, it's a good thing to know before you get married. Plus, getting the first time out of the way, learning all the ticks and buttons will make the honeymoon all the better."

"Mother!" It was Kyoko this time. Every inch of her skin that was showing was bright red from embarrassment and anger. "Kuon is a gentleman and he loves me enough to not pursue anything when I wasn't ready yet. I certainly hope you are not purposing he force himself on me like some drunken lecher merely because the other women he dated were all wanton sluts?"

Everyone stopped and stared at Kyoko out of pure shock. Julie was sitting there with her eyes wide. Kuon sat up and smirked like he was trying not to smile, and Kuu even stopped eating. She was fuming. What they did and didn't do wasn't anyone's business but theirs. As if there was something wrong with what they were doing, even if it really wasn't a choice of waiting before or after they got married. They were waiting for her to be ready. No where does it say that a person has to be ready for sex to get married or vise versa.

"Well?" She wanted an answer.

"N…n…no," Julie stuttered to her future daughter. Kyoko nodded sharply once and then sat back down, her back ram rod straight.

"And Kuon is a wonderful lover. Rest assured that everything will work fine when the time comes." For some reason she wanted to defend that point too. Kuon leaned over and kissed her temple. She looked up at him shyly hoping he wasn't mad for admitting that little fact to his parents. He didn't seem to be. He smiled at her and then returned to eat.

"Since we are all here, why don't we do the guest list here?" Kuu asked as he started filling up his fourth plate, trying to change the subject.

"I'll have to get my laptop from downstairs. Yukihito updated all the contacts from his list so it should be up to date," Kuon explained as he got more fish.

"Why isn't Yukihito-kun helping us with this? He is your manager. He should be here to help with your wedding." Julie only wanted more hands to help with everything.

"He is my manager, not my wedding planner. He has his fingers in my personal schedule enough as it is. I prefer he stick with my work schedule." He paused, "Though he did say he was available if we needed it. I was hoping to give him some time off though."

"Why does he need time off? You have a lot less on your plate than before. He should be as free as you are." Julie didn't mean to imply that he should work more. She was genuinely curious about it.

"He has taken it upon himself to manage both Kyoko and myself since he has to know both schedules to free up time for us to see each other." Kuon sighed. "I told him not to worry about me, that if he wanted to he could manage only Kyoko but he refused. He is as busy now as he was then."

"Oh dear, does he go on shoots with her like he does you?" Julie asked while sipping her tea.

Kyoko shook her head answering this one, "No, I'm still officially manager-less. Matsushima-san is my direct contact for work. He or one of his workers will give me my offers, and I choose to accept them or not. Kuon and Yashiro-san do help me and once I accept, I send the shooting schedule to Yashiro-san." She frowned. "Though even before we started dating he always had my schedule and it was perfect to the minute. I never did figure out how he did that. I figure he had to dig and call so many people to get it that it would relieve some work for him if I simply told him. He did say he appreciated it but it also seemed like it made more work for him."

Kuon picked up, "Hence the reason I want him to take a day off whenever he can."

"Hmm…" Julie started. "That makes sense from a coworker perspective. What if he wanted to help as a friend? It probably won't feel like work to him." She stood up, taking her plate to the kitchen. The food was gone and everyone had their fill but Kuu, of course.

Kuon was left pondering what his mother said. He spent so much time with Yukihito that he doesn't really think about the whole friend aspect of their relationship. They've had drinks after work before, letting themselves cool down, relax a little. Other than that, it's work, work and teasing. It would seem that perhaps Kuon owed Yukihito a little apology.

Kuon stood up and took his plate and stated, "I'll give him a call and ask. I'll see what he is up to." Before he could take a step, a small hand came up and was placed firmly on his stomach. He looked down to the owner with a curious glance. She stood up and looked at his plate. There a little less than half of it but it was still way less than what he should eat.

"You're not done eating," she said with a quiet strength.

"But…," he started but was interrupted.

"At least finish what you – yourself, grabbed." She went back to her meal, "Sit. Eat. Now," Kyoko ordered, and he did so. He ate a few forced bites as she finished her meal. The moment she got up, he tried to get up as well. She simply put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down. He sighed and lifted another bit to his lips. He saw his father laughing silently and scowled at him.

As soon as Kyoko's back was turned, Kuu stretched his arm out and motioned for his plate. Kuon smiled, looked at Kyoko to see if she was watching and quickly handed it to his father.

"I saw that!" Kyoko yelled out as she rounded the corner to the kitchen, shaking her head in disappointment.

Kuu laughed. "You better go apologize."

"For what? For not being able to eat everything? She knows about my appetite." Kuon wanted to shrug it off.

"It doesn't matter why or even if you are right or wrong. If she is upset, go apologize and let it go, advice from one married man to a future one. Just do it," Kuu finished by plopping a plum into his mouth and then motioned for him to go with his chopsticks.

Kuon stood up and disappeared into the kitchen. A few moments later Julie came back excited. She peeked back into the room and then half ran to Kuu. "They are so cute," she squealed. She stepped up behind Kuu and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"It looks like he picked up a few tricks from you too." She smiled and kissed her husband's cheek. Kuu was curious so he got up and stealthily looked into the kitchen. Whatever Julie saw, it was long over with. Kuon and Kyoko were swaying softly to some internal music, kissing each other tenderly. Grinning from ear to ear, Kuu took out his phone and held it up. Getting the perfect picture, he snapped and forgot that the sound was on alerting the two love birds of his presence. Luckily, he didn't care that he was caught. Those two however were slightly blushing.

"Ooo, let me see!" Julie exclaimed, and Kuu showed her the picture. "I want it!" She cried and then disappeared to find her purse.

"Geez, don't you guys have enough pictures?" Kuon sighed then returned to Kyoko. "I'm going down stairs to get my laptop. Do you want to come with me and make that call?" He paused for a moment, and added, "You can do it here too, if you like."

She thought about it for a second and then shook her head. "We need to get the guest list done. It's early so I have time to call them after." He nodded and then left.

"I'm going to grab my laptop. Does anyone need anything?" Kuon called out.

"More food!" Kuu yelled out as he was walking into the kitchen. Kyoko smiled at her father.

"Denied! Alright, I'll be back in a minute," Kuon yelled out and Kuu started to sob.

"Make him be nicer to me, Kyoko." He came up to her and pretended to cry on her shoulder.

Kyoko laughed. "I'll make it up to you every time he is mean." She reached out and picked up a bag of chips. She wiggled it, making the crinkling sound the bags normally make.

Kuu perked up and smiled brightly, "That's my girl!" He set the bag down and started to roll up his sleeves. "Let's get everything cleaned up first and then we can get started with business."

"You don't need to help, father. It's only a few dishes." Since it was all take out there weren't any pots or pans to clean.

"We already threw away the containers and Julie is setting up for the guest list party. This is all that's left." So as per the norm, Kyoko washed the dish and then Kuu dried it and put it away. Kuon was back quickly with his laptop, a mouse and the power cord dangling in his hand. Everyone sat on the dinning table, pulled out pens, paper, lists and powered up laptops. Now the fighting begins.

"238…239…240…241…242." Kyoko finally finished counting there already cut down guest list.

"Mom, you need to cut this by 117 people." Kuon was sitting on the couch looking like he was asleep. Kyoko was tempted to join him. They've been doing this for five hours straight, all were feeling the need for a break.

"No!" Julie huffed, "You said we can invite everyone that you remembered. I already cut that list by 100. Just extend the list to 250 and we can invite 8 more people!"

"I can take out some people from my list," Kyoko offered as she scrolled down the impressive list.

"No! You only have 30 people coming." Kuon stood up and pulled the list from Kyoko's view. He slipped the paper under his mother, "Mom… 117 people. They will all be invited to the reception but not the wedding ceremony. They will still get the see us. Most of the people only want to mingle at the party anyway." He groaned, "Mom, stop crying. 117 people!"

She bawled harder. Kyoko stood up and Kuon shot her a look that made her sit back down. She sadly looked at her lap trying to keep herself from giving in to Julie's wishes. Kuon continued, "I'll make it easier for you. Eliminate anyone I haven't seen in the last five years."

"FIVE YEARS! You haven't seen anyone in the last five years. You haven't seen anyone since you were 14! That's not fair at all!" Julie screamed out.

"Fine, the last five years since I was 14." He caved, falling down in the chair closest to him.

"Oh, okay." She smiled and slid the paper back at him. "Then here you go sweetie."

Kyoko's hair started to stand on end. Oh he was angry, so very angry. She stood up slowly, carefully. "Kuon let's take a break and we can talk about this again in a little bit," she spoke slowly, softly as to not disturb the beast.

He turned his bright flashing smile on. "No, this is fine." He stood up and the smile was gone. He looked over the list and started walking away from his mother. His hand slid on the table and no one notice him grab the big black Sharpie until it was too late.

"This is just fine." He put the marker in his mouth and popped the cap off.

"NOOOOO! STOP!" Julie jumped from her seat as soon as Kuon started crossing out large groups of people from the list. He walked up to a wall and slid the paper as high up as he could continuously crossing out names as soon as he read them. Julie tried to pull his arm down, to get the list but he was simply too strong and too tall and continued black listing people.

"Kuon Hizuri, if you don't give that to me right this instant…" Julie stood back and threatened in English.

"You'll what, mom? Ground me?" He teased. Kyoko watched Julie slide up the long sleeves of her sweater to her biceps. She circled around Kuon as he passively ignored the much smaller woman. She moved her arms and legs as if she was stretching. Then before Kyoko could blink, she placed her hands high on his back and foot swept him, throwing him to the ground. He landed with a very loud thump, the air getting knocked out of him. As soon as he hit the ground, she snatched the paper from his hands with a triumphed smile.

Kyoko stood there with her mouth wide open in shock. Kuu stood next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "She has more black belts than both of us combined. It's how she keeps her figure," he explained with a chuckle. Kuon slowly started to get up, rubbing his shoulder which took most of the impact. Finally out of her stupor, Kyoko rushed to inspect the damages inflicted on her poor fiancé.

Kuu squatted down to where they sat and tsked at Kuon, "You've gotten rusty." Kuon flashed an annoyed look to this father but then nodded.

"You crossed out my brother! You always loved spending time with your uncle!" Julie screamed and started to rewrite names. "You have to invite Cindy. She's your godmother!"

"One I haven't seen since I was 3!" He yelled back, still sitting grumpily on the floor. More names were rewritten on the list and the fight continued for a little bit. In an hour, they braked for lunch. That was when the food they ordered three hours ago finally arrived so they were forced to break for lunch. To say that it wasn't a pleasant one was an understatement. It was nice for Kuu and Kyoko, who decided to leave the two feuding people alone. It wasn't until 4 that afternoon that they finally finished the guest list. Kuon and Kyoko agreed to adjust the quantity to 150 to satisfy Julie's demands and get the whole fiasco over with.


	16. Blame

Chapter 16

Kyoko and Kuon both fell on the couch with a loud sigh. They looked at each other and smiled goofily. It's amazing what love can overcome, even the most mundane of things. Kuu sat in the loveseat casually with some new snack he had in the cupboards, but Julie wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Where's mom?" Kuon asked worried.

"She's in the bedroom getting the books for the next step," Kuu replied and both nodded thinking the same thing, the address book. They let themselves relax for as much time as was allowed. Kyoko felt something touch her hand, and she looked down. She smiled shyly looking over at Kuon. He had a small smile on his lips; his fingers were lightly playing with hers. She turned her palm towards him and lightly tickled his palm. She was sliding her fingers between his when an extremely heavy item fell into their laps.

"OOF!" Kuon repeated and both looked at what befell them. Both of them had three extremely thick books of something. It looked like scrapbooks. Julie turned around and sat in the small space that Kyoko and Kuon had between them. They adjusted for their mother, and she scooted back happily.

Kyoko looked inside and frowned. "Invitations? I thought we didn't have to send these out until six weeks before the wedding. Why are we looking at invitations now?" As Kyoko spoke, Kuon lifted his stack and set it on the floor beside his feet, relieving himself of their outrageous weight.

"We need to send the Save the Date cards. You need to have your invitations picked so we can print out the cards," Julie explained.

Kuon stood up and lifted Kyoko's stack off her lap. She sighed and smiled up in thanks. "I don't understand why we have to pick the invitations now though," he complained as he sat back down next to his mother.

"They have to match, of course! We can't send out a white card if the invitations you pick are ivory." Julie stretched over, picked up the first book and opened it up in her lap. Kuon wanted to slap himself. "O_h, of course! I'm such an idiot. The whole wedding would have been a disaster if the save the date cards weren't the same color of white as the invitations!" _He was sure his sarcastic humor would have been severely punished, so he remained quiet.

"Mom, when does the print shop close today?" He asked as they started to look.

"Why does that matter?" Julie responded casually, pointing out pretty little details in each invitation. Kuon shook his head. It didn't matter. She would call them up, and if they weren't there, they would do it first thing tomorrow morning. Kuu ordered dinner, but they would have to go and pick it up or eat it at the restaurant. All of them agreed that going to the restaurant would be a nice change, but that was still a few hours away. Until then, Julie flipped another page to reveal another set of invitations. Kuon was thankful that Kyoko was vocal about this. He simply would have picked the first simplest one. Granted, there were a few that he has seen that he would have rejected immediately.

Most of Kyoko's objections were simple. A green invitation? No. Nothing with weird colors, no funny pictures on it, no children playing dress up in wedding clothes, no animals doing the same either. She didn't want a funny one, and of course, the themed ones were out. There was one with a very elaborate castle that did catch her eye, but she knew better than to ask.

All of Julie's complaints followed the same general theme. "It's too simple. It's too boring. It's tacky," or "It's too gaudy or cheap." When the moment came to take a break from all this, Kuon never felt so happy to go eat something.

"Wait. Let me freshen up, and we can go," Julie said making Kuu and Kuon sit back down. Kyoko looked at them confused.

"Aren't we going?"

"In about 30 minutes to an hour and we'll go," Kuon answered as Kuu turned on the television.

"But she is only going to fix her make-up or change or something right? That doesn't take that long," she said innocently and both men laughed.

"She is going to change about five times, wash her face, put on fresh make-up, style her hair, look through the thousand pairs of shoes we brought over to find the perfect shade of blue to match her outfit or whatever color she finally picked, spray on her favorite perfume. She will come out looking exactly the way she did going in but in a different outfit and then we can go." Kuu flipped through the channels trying to find something interesting to watch as he explained Julie's beauty routine.

Kyoko blinked several times. No one really does that, right? Julie was one of those people that can put on stained sweatpants and look sexy. Surely she doesn't need to go through all that to go outside. She looked at the two men in the room, and they made themselves comfortable for the long haul. She rounded the couch and plopped down next to Kuon. He smiled and kissed her temple, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

They found something to watch but Kyoko's mind went somewhere else. She pulled out her phone and stared at it. She had to call but was scared and nervous. She didn't understand why. She hadn't spoken to these people in years, but maybe that's why she was so hesitant. Was it guilt? Guilt for leaving them for their son and then guilt for never returning their kindness? She really didn't know how to feel about their reasons for raising her.

Maybe this is a good thing. Perhaps, once they talk, she will find that they truly did love her, and the only way to get her to join their family was to marry Sho. They truly did want her as their own daughter just as much as the Hizuri's did. It's possible that they were in the middle of adoption and negotiations with her mother, but once they saw how she felt about their son, they started training her to be his wife. It was their way of showing their love for her, the best way that they can. So…

Why haven't they called?

_They don't know your number. It's not like you called them with your new address and phone number._

Why not come and find us? They didn't even try to make us come home.

_Maybe they did. They found out that Akatoki Agency signed Sho. They came to the agency and were turned away at the door. Sho wouldn't want to see them, wouldn't want them to ruin what he has now. He probably claimed that they were lying about their blood relation. _

They were completely cut off from them in one night. They had no way to find two runaways in a city as large as Tokyo. Yes, that must be it. Her hand hovered over the keypad, the old home phone number ready to be dialed, and yet she couldn't find it in herself to dial.

"Do you want to do this in private?" Kyoko jumped as Kuon whispered, bringing her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him then back down at her phone. She was among loved ones, her husband to be and the first man she ever called father. She shouldn't be afraid with them around her.

Nevertheless, she nodded. She didn't want to do something like this in front of worrying eyes. She stood up, and Kuu turned towards her with concern.

"Is everything okay?" He muted the TV show they were watching to allow Kyoko to speak freely.

"Um…" She found it difficult to speak about it. "I need to call... um" Why was this so difficult?

"It's okay, Kyoko," Kuon spoke up. "I can tell him. You go make the call. We are all here if you need us." Kyoko smiled such a relieved watery smile. She bowed to Kuon then bowed in apology to Kuu and left. She went into the kitchen. She heard Kuon start to talk as she walked to the farthest edge of the kitchen as possible. Kuon's voice was still heard but his words were not recognizable. She sighed and dialed.

It's amazing how long a single ring took to end its little tone. It was also extremely loud. Was it always this loud?

"Thank you for calling the Fuwa Ryokan. How may I help you?" A young woman answered the phone. Kyoko thought she recognized the voice, but it would be rude to assume and find out it wasn't really her.

"Hello, I was hoping to speak with the Okami-san, if she…"

"KYOKO!?" The woman on the other end screamed into Kyoko's ear making her jerk back the phone for her own safety.

"Yes, um…" Kyoko started but was promptly interrupted.

"Kyoko! It's me, Masami! How have you been? I've watched everything you've done, you changed so much. You look so beautiful, Kyoko. I've missed you so much. Where are you? Why haven't you come to visit or called or anything! That's so mean, Kyoko…."

Kyoko tried to speak several times to answer or at least ask some questions for her own, but she couldn't get a word in at all. Misami was 16 when she started working at the Fuwa Ryokan. Her family had lost their father and all the people eligible to work were asked to do so to help support the family. She and her mother were the only ones to support three younger siblings and the father's elderly parents. She was simply a nakai, or a room maid. She took to Kyoko who only had a five year age difference but Sho's mother kept them apart far too much to become friends. She worked hard and became one of the favorites of the Okami-san but socially she was a completely different and loud person.

"Masami…," Kyoko tried to speak, but she kept talking. She spoke about all the roles that Kyoko's done and asked questions about the handsome men she started with. Then came questions about Kuon and what had happened with Sho. This was not something she wanted to talk about. Not right now and not with someone who remembered how infatuated she was with the singer.

"Masami, please!" She half yelled and finally stopped the gushing woman. "Is Fuwa-sama in? I would really like to speak with her if it's possible."

"Oh, yes. We'll it's dinner time, you remember that, but I will see if she can speak with you. She'll be so happy that you called. She hasn't seen you or Shotaro in forever now but she understands. I mean to let you two go out and seek out your dreams of singing and acting. I never thought the Okami-san would be so modern. I mean she is the Okami-san of such a traditional hotel, for her to allow the only heir of the hotel another career."

"Wait…," she tried to cut in, "Masami?" Still talking, "MASAMI!" She yelled out again.

"Geez, Kyoko, I can hear you fine. You don't have to scream."

Kyoko sighed then tried to phrase her question very carefully, "The Okami-san told everyone our plans?"

"Of course, I mean everyone would notice if the two future owners of the hotel suddenly disappeared," Masami laughed.

Kyoko wanted to ask about what she said, how she explained their leaving. "I'm surprised that's all. We weren't sure we were going to make it so we wanted to keep it a secret," she lied. She didn't want to ruin whatever Sho's mother said, so she didn't ask anymore questions. She was now, more than ever, eager to speak with her. She always knew Sho's dreams of becoming a singer. Perhaps their leaving showed his parents how serious he was, and they finally gave them their blessings.

"Okay, I'm going to give you to the Okami-san. You need to come and visit though, okay? I would love to meet your new husband too."

Kyoko smiled. "Okay." She will have to put Masami on the invitation list. She waited, her spirits lifting. Masami didn't cover the mouthpiece from the phone so Kyoko heard everything. There was a knock on a door, and she very politely spoke.

"Excuse me, Okami-san. You have received a call from Kyoko-sama." In her mind, Masami was kneeling on the floor outside the door bowing as she had been taught.

"Kyoko?" She recognized the older woman's voice instantly and her hope withered when she questioned who it was. "Saena's daughter?"

"Yes, madam," Masami replied, the tone of her voice never changing. There was a reason she was the favorite.

"Oh, please," the Okami said eagerly. Kyoko smiled. That sounded like a good thing. There were some shuffling sounds, and the voice she hadn't heard in so long came on the line.

"Kyoko, how long has it been? It's so very good to hear from you. How are you doing?" She sounded cheerful, as if she was talking to an old friend.

Kyoko smiled and took a breath to speak but promptly was interrupted.

"Mmmhmm, that's wonderful. Yes, I know. It really is so good to hear from you," she continued. Kyoko looked down as she listened to this woman have a one sided conversation. She frowned puzzled.

"Yes… Good…" Sho's mother continued but Kyoko had yet to say a single word. She heard something sliding and then a thud.

"What do you want?" A stone cold voice filtered through the phone, and Kyoko felt a shiver run down her back.

"I…" She licked her lips. "I'm getting married and…."

"So I heard," Sho's mother snapped coldly. "Yet, it isn't even with the man you ran away with, you harlot. So what? Did you started your little acting career and found someone with more money and dump Shotaro?"

"What! No! I…" Kyoko started.

"I don't care. After everything we did for you. I can understand why your mother abandoned you. I thought you would be the one to bring Shotaro back from his stupid dream, but you failed me. Instead of bringing him back home to his rightful path, you shamelessly threw yourself at other men and played those floozy roles."

Kyoko couldn't speak. She found it difficult to do anything but let her continue.

"It's no wonder why you two aren't together anymore. I suppose you called to get our blessing? Such a foolish child, if you aren't marring Shotaro and bringing him back, then you are of no use to us." The phone beeped and the insulting condescending lecture ended. She swallowed a lump in her throat and slipped her phone back into her pocket.

Kyoko stood there in the kitchen looking down at the floor. Her mind was buzzing, nothing running through it. It was blank. She took a deep breath and touched her cheeks. _Good…_ She wasn't crying. She turned to walk back into the living room, forcing her head up high.

Both Kuon and Kuu looked up as she came up to view. She felt herself smile at them, her eyes closed with her head tilted slightly to the left. "Well, they said no," she said cheerily.

Kuon stood up as she started to fall; tears flooded her eyes and fell freely down her cheeks. She didn't hit the floor before Kuon rushed up and swept her into his arms. She hid her face in the crook of his neck, wrapping her arms around him, sobbing silently.

"I'm sorry, dad. We're going to have to skip dinner tonight," Kuon spoke and Kyoko didn't have it in her to register what he said.

"Don't worry about it. Call us if you need anything," Kuu replied in understanding.

Kyoko felt Kuon walk out. She didn't see anything that happened or even cared to. One moment she was talking to Kuu and Kuon, and the next she was sitting in Kuon's lap on his couch. He was holding her tightly, gently petting her, soothing her as she cried. She didn't understand why she was crying. Fuwa's opinion shouldn't have mattered or the words that she said. Yet everything that woman said ripped her apart. Bringing up her mother, calling her names, and of course saying she failed, and it was her fault that Sho abandoned his family.

Kuon was patient, wanting her to drown him in her sadness and pain, to relinquish it from her soul. The way she said it, trying to put on a brave face made his heart break. He didn't know what they said to her, but it couldn't have been a simple no. He was livid. He wanted to know what they said, and then seek revenge, crushing their little hotel business into the ground overnight. Don't they know which family she is marrying into? She's loved by some of the most influential people in the world, and they dare make her cry?

After a while, Kyoko sniffed and started to pull away. He reached up and cupped her face with his large hands, this thumbs tenderly wiping away her tears. He pressed a soft kiss on her lips and gave her a small smile trying to cheer her up. She tried to do the same to reassure him.

"I'm sorry about dinner," she whispered.

"I'm not hungry."

"I'm sorry we didn't pick out the invitations." Her eyes were focused down, trying hard not to look at him.

"There is always tomorrow," Kuon assured her. He moved down, trying to look into her eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry for, my love." His last two words made her blush lightly and his smile widened. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Kyoko looked at him. He was patiently waiting, no pressure but wanted to know what had hurt her to the point of tears. She could say that it was something grand. Rarely anything produced tears ever since she got corn at six, but now having Kuon in her life, she found it easier. It was easier to release her emotions about the day over something that would make her cry. It was okay, because he accepted her tears, held her and then kissed her gently every time she cried.

She nodded. "You're not going to like it," she whispered.

He snorted. "I already know that. I'm waiting for you to give me the word and they will be out of business within a month," he said confidently, and she shook her head vigorously.

"No, you can't do that!" She paused. "Can you?" She shook her head again. "No, No! That's awful." The way she was fussing over someone that made her cry. The world today wasn't worthy of having her heart in it.

"I was only kidding, Kyoko." He paused for a moment. "Okay, I did sort of mean it, but I won't do it." He smiled at her. "Unless you want me to," he quickly added.

She smiled a true smile, and he couldn't help but return it. Her eyes were puffy and red, her skin pale and clammy from the crying, and she still was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Her smile fell with a sigh, and she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Kuon rested back onto the couch and leaned his head against hers. She started to relay the short conversation and it took everything in Kuon's power not to murder Fuwa's parents.

How can anyone be so cold to a child they took care of until 15? To say she was a harlot and make their son look like the broken hearted angel. Then to put all of their expectations on her to bring back their arrogant son, they really knew how to strike her down. They even mentioned her mother. Was he the only one that showed her any kind of love when she was little? It didn't matter. She belonged to him now. She will soon be a Hizuri, and they had more than enough love to counter anything from her past.

"I told you, you wouldn't like it," she whispered against his neck. She could feel how very angry he was.

"And I have every right to be. Everything they said was a way to place the blame on anyone but themselves. They are using you as an excuse for the way they failed in raising their son." He spat out venom cursing their name.

"They won't be apart of your life anymore, Kyoko. No Fuwa can ever hurt you again," he whispered into hair. She smiled, loving the way he cared for her so much. Kyoko hugged him tightly, and he returned the favor almost like he was trying to hold her together. How little he knew that the moment she saw his face, she was already healing from that wound.

After a moment, she let go and pulled away slightly. He sighed, "Well, in the long run, this is a good thing. Now the Sasakis can represent your family, like you wanted."

She laughed. "Why couldn't they simply say yes and saved us this mess? We could have been eating dinner with your parents, watching the restaurant struggle to keep father fed."

Kuon laughed. "They would have to close early. No one can clean out a restaurant like dad." They both started laughing, needing the release. Once the tension died down, she looked at the clock.

"So we have two options," she stated. "We can go out to where ever your parents are eating and join them, or I can make us a light dinner and stay in." She knew she didn't have to ask. His answer would always be the same, but she still wanted to ask.

"Hmmm… Let's see." He pretended to think. "Go out with my parents who we just spent the entire day with, or spend an evening alone with my lovely fiancée and her wonderful cooking." He scratched his head as if he was struggling with the decisions.

"I think…" He suddenly tilted to his side, dipping Kyoko back onto the couch. She screamed giggling loudly. Kuon's face hovered over her with a big smile. "I think I choose you." He cupped her face and pressed a feathery kiss on her lips.

She sighed as he pulled away wishing he did more. He pulled her back up into a sitting position on his lap. She felt his arm slip under her knees, and he stood up, lifting her high into the air. She quickly clung onto him in shock, and he chuckled. Kuon walked over to the kitchen and set her down on her feet.

"I could have walked you know," she bemoaned.

"Where is the fun in that?" He paused and thought about it. "Other than getting to watch you walk," he amended with a knowing smile.

Heat rushed through her, covering her face in a dark blush. "You don't do that do you?" She said shyly.

"I watch everything you do." He took her arms and lifted them up around his neck. "The way you walk, talk, cook, clean, sit, lie down, everything. I love everything about you, including the way you move." He ran his hands down her arms, over her shoulders and down her back. She shivered under his touch, his hand stopping at the small of her back.

"I especially love the way you move when I touch you," he confessed and slipped his hand under her long sleeved shirt, letting his fingers wander across the silky skin of her back. She arched her back, pressing herself against him. Kyoko exposed her neck like an offering and he couldn't help but partake of the sensitive flesh. He leaned down and licked her. She gasped not expecting it and then moaned softly when he laid a kiss over her pulse. His hand came up her back and lifted her up, allowing their lips to meet. It was soft but so intense. She tried to follow him when he pulled back. Her eyes opened when he was out of reach.

"Can I help?" Kuon asked suddenly.

"With what?" She asked baffled.

His smile widened and laughed. "You really know how to stroke an ego, Kyoko. With dinner, can I help with dinner?"

"Oh." She pulled away from him. "Yes, of course. Um…" She turned towards the fridge and pulled it open. "We have a lot of options since your father came but with everything we've eaten today, something light is in order."

"Does tai chazuke sound good?" She stood up or tried to. Kuon was huddling over her looking into the icebox as she did. She bumped into him as she stood, but instead of moving to make room, he wrapped his arms around her as she held the door open.

"I don't care what you make. I'm sure it will be good. Just tell me what to do," he told her casually.

Kyoko bent over to pick out the ingredients sliding out of his arms easily, but he didn't move. His hands rested on her hips. She blushed as she felt him pressed against her butt. She didn't know if she wanted to ask him to step back or wiggle her butt against him. Ever since he showed her that picture of herself, she was very aware of her actions around him.

She found that she wasn't the only tease in the relationship. He did his fair share of encouraging her desires towards him, the sensual kisses, his hands touching her bare skin, the Emperor's look with his teasing words. He'll even "forget" to button up his shirt. Still, it didn't take much for her to fall into his trap where he was waiting with open arms and nimble hands.

With her arms full of food, she stood up purposely pressing her back up against his chest. She turned around sliding her body against him. She smirked up at him and asked, "Could you start making the rice, please?"

Kuon grunted and took a step back. She snickered to herself quietly as she set everything down. She moved over and started to get the pots and pans for the meal. A new fact about his kitchen was that everything was rearranged just for her. Everything was within reach for Kyoko. He used the higher shelves for storage for miscellaneous things, but tonight Kyoko felt needy.

"Kuon," she said sweetly. He turned his attention from measuring the rice to her. She was leaning against the countertop, her arms cradling her breast. She was playfully pouting. "Could you please get the small sauce pot for me?" She lifted her arm above her head languidly, acting as if it was simply too high for her to even attempt.

Kuon set the little measuring cup down and stalked towards her. She flushed as he crept closer. She was standing right in front of the cabinet that held the pots and pans. She did this on purpose. He stopped in front of her, not touching, and reached up for the pot, never taking his eyes away from her. She took in a deep breath, inhaling his delicious scent. His arm came down with the little pot and held it out to her.

"Thank you," she breathed heavily. Kyoko took the pot from his hands and set it on the stove top while he still stood in front of her. Her breathing seemed to have increased as did the beating of her heart. She could feel him hovering so very close, it was driving her mad, her body urging her to close that distance between them. She didn't though. Instead she took a step to her right going around him to the cabinets on the other side. He watched her move but didn't move with her. She opened up the cabinet that held their cooking spices and dried ingredients. She reached up but stopped short as she felt him behind her. She pulled her hand down.

"Nori, sesame seeds, green tea leaves and the kombu," she listed her needed items and turned her head back and looked up at him, "please." He placed his hand on the countertop to her left and reached up to get the things she needed with his right. Kuon was very careful not to touch her. He pulled each of the items down and held them in front of her until she took it. Once she had everything, he took a small step back.

She turned around with the items in her arms. She glanced over her shoulder to the counter next door and said, "Sake too please." He took a step towards the counter next to her, and she was tempted to jump in front of that one too. He took the small bottle down and held it out to her. She took the item and combined it with the rest in her arms and whispered, "Thank you." She pushed off and set the new items on the counter next to the stove.

"Anything else?" His deep voice shocked her, and she had to think about it. She needed the tea pot but that was in the lower cabinets. It would be silly to ask him to get that for her.

"I should be fine now." She walked over to the cabinet with the tea pot. "I only need the tea pot and… Ah!" She was suddenly lifted up and sat on top of the counter. His touch was there and gone in less than a second. She blinked at him with wide eyes.

"Let me get it for you," He leaned in as he spoke with a low deep voice.

"O…okay," Kyoko muttered. She instinctively leaned in as he did, but the kiss didn't come. Kuon smiled at her and squatted down to the cabinet under her. It was when his hand reached between her calves that she knew what he did. She would be forced to spread her legs for him to open the door and get the pot. His hand wasn't even on the handle but on the top of the door, so she couldn't simply scoot her legs to one side.

She felt the blood rush to her face. She looked down to his face, and he looked at her knowingly. He didn't have to ask. She knew what she had to do, and Kuon was willing to wait for her to do it. She squirmed on the cold hard countertop and shifted her feet out but held her knees together. It's not like she should feel embarrassed about it. For one she was wearing pants not a skirt, and two he's seen everything before. Still, having his face right there, so very close, she was sure he would smell her desire for him.

She must have waited too long. She felt the barest of touches on her ankle and she jumped up high. Her blush came back in full force and she quickly forced her knees apart so he can open the door.

"More," he ordered, and she frowned at him. She leaned over and looked at the door. She was still blocking it. Kyoko was sitting all the way back with the counter hitting the back of her knees, so even with her knees spread as far as they could go, it wasn't enough. She licked her lips and shifted towards the edge of the counter. Her heart started beating loudly in her chest and her breath quickened, making her chest rise and fall rapidly. She closed her eyes as she felt like she was offering herself to him as the distance between her knees grew.

She couldn't see, but she felt his presence. Her body trembled as she pictured his face moving closer towards her core. His hot breath heating up her thighs as he passed them, moving so very close to the dampness between her legs. Kyoko so desperately wanted him to destroy the distance between them, but she didn't want to break the ice they were on. She could hear him move, the gentle click of the tea pot being pulled out of the counter and the whoosh of air as he closed the door. The room got darker as he stood up, hovering over her, blocking the light. She could feel him step up between her thighs, but still not touching. He set the pot right next to her.

"Do you have everything for the meal?" She gasped as he softly blew the words into her ear. Her body vibrated with tension. She nodded shakily.

"Are you sure?" His breath blew onto her neck. The way that he worded it forced her to say yes. If he had said do you have everything you need, the answer would be no. Do you want anything else? The answer would be yes. She thought to play this sinful game with the Emperor and realized she was in over her head. If he touched her for more than a second, she would be stripping off and tackling him to the ground.

"I'm good, thank you," she whispered huskily.

"Good. I'll finish making the rice." Kuon moved back to the rice maker with a smirk on his lips. She let out a breath, the air suddenly much easier to breathe but not as pleasant. She hopped off the counter and turned to the stove. It took her a few moments to remember what she was doing, but she got to work. The meal was really simple so as soon as the rice was done, the dish was served.

Kyoko cooled down as she cooked the meal. She was almost back to normal as they sat at his table. He sat in his normal spot, not any closer or farther away from her. He watched her carefully set the bowl down and sit down properly.

"Are you feeling better now?"

She looked up at him. The Emperor was gone, and he was his sweet charming self again with an easy smile. She opened her mouth to say that she was still feeling needy but then closed it. Feeling better? If it was about that, he would have done something else to make her feel better.

She smiled. "You did all that to take my mind off the conversation, didn't you?" Her tone was accusing.

He lightly shrugged. "Did it work?"

She thought about it and grinned. "Yes," she spoke softly and glanced up at him coyly. "Thank you, Kuon."


	17. Invitations

Chapter 17

Kyoko returned home that night. Her first stop was back up to Julie and Kuu's, and apologized profusely for ditching them. They were more than understanding and didn't ask any questions. She knew they would probably get the abridged version from Kuon later. Especially since he told Kyoko never to tell them what was actually said.

"They don't have the restraint I do. They will ruin them if they find out. Let's keep it between us," Kuon admitted. Kyoko quickly agreed and moved on. The next morning at breakfast she was more than eager to ask her guardians the same question from the day before.

"Did you call them?" Sasaki Ai asked hopefully.

Kyoko nodded with a bright smile. Ai started to cry big fat happy tears and Mr. Serious himself even smiled. Kyoko stepped up to them, and the Okami wrapped her arms around her bawling with the Taisho patting the two girls in his life gently. Breakfast that morning was extremely eventful.

"Julie-san is having this man make the kurotomesode for the mothers' of the ceremony. Please see him as soon as possible so he can start making it for you." She handed Ai a card making her eyes widened, but she nodded.

"Kuu-san wanted to wear a traditional formal kimono instead of a formal suit for the ceremony. Would you like to do the same, Taisho?"

He nodded once, sharply. This was a formal affair and a traditional one at that. She handed him a different card and stated, "Please see this man for the kimono. Again as soon as possible, so he has the time to make it."

"We'll make an appointment and see them as soon as they are available. Don't worry, Kyoko-chan." Ai smiled brightly.

Kyoko sighed happily. "The whole thing is so hectic that I feel like I need to rush everything. I know everything will be fine in the end."

"If you need anything from us, please don't hesitate to ask. We would love to help you with anything," Ai offered eagerly.

She was about to object immediately, but remembered what Julie and Kuu said about Yukihito. They wouldn't see it as work but a joy to help. It's something that rarely happens, and she just asked them to give her away. She smiled and bowed down deeply to them. "I would truly appreciate that. I will think of you if something comes up that required some assistance."

Kyoko was heading into LME today. Mastushima-san had left her a message on her phone about some new offers now that her previous show ended. After that, she was going to have lunch with Julie and Kanae and finish looking over the invitation books.

"You have five offers at the moment. You actually had two of them here for a while now, but you were still working the other drama, and the acceptance date is still a few months away. It seems they really want you for the role and wanted book you for it as soon as possible." He handed her five booklets detailing each of the roles she was offered.

"You actually have a sixth but it's from Fuwa Sho. Do you wish to deny it?" He held up another thin booklet.

Kyoko thought about it for a moment and held out her hand. "I'll look at it." He handed the offer to her.

"Let me know what you want to do and we will book it." He returned back to his work, writing something down and turned to typing in his computer.

Kyoko bowed to the lead. "Thank you, Mastushima-san." She flipped through the booklets and started to walk away.

"Mogami-san," Mastushima called out, and she turned to him. "How are the wedding plans going?"

Kyoko smiled brightly. "So far so good. I feel like it's going too slow and too fast at the same time."

He laughed. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Don't over book yourself. Allow yourself the personal time to plan the wedding and for your trip after it. There will always be more roles after everything. Okay?"

She nodded, bowed again and took her leave. Kyoko looked at her watch and found she had about an hour before lunch with Julie and Kanae. She decided to head to the restaurant and read them there if it wasn't too busy.

The weather was starting to get very pretty out. She wore a light top with a light jacket, a knee length skirt and wedge sandals. The sky was perfect blue and the wind was mild. The sukura trees blossomed a little later this year due to the weather, but they were finally opening up. In a week, they would be in full bloom. Maybe they could go out for a viewing picnic.

Julie wanted to go to a popular little sushi shop that everyone's been raving about. She's heard about it, read the reviews and was indeed curious about it, but Kyoko has yet to approach it. Aside from the food, which is apparently very good, the reason it's so popular is because it was right next to Akatoki Agency. With an agreement between the agency, they beefed up security and the stars and workers there found a relaxing shop to eat at without hassle. Julie said the photographer they hired recommended it, and she really, really wanted to go there. So that's where she was heading.

She donned a pair of sunglasses and took the long way around to the shop. With the direction she was going, she was going to walk right past the front door. Kyoko avoided the Akatoki building completely if she walked around the block and entering from the north side. Why she was going through all this trouble, she had no idea. No doubt if the fates wanted her to meet with Sho, they would simply make him appear out of no where in some random location that no one would ever think he would be. Still thought, why tempt them?

The restaurant was on the second floor with the first floor being a small coffee shop and general waiting room. They were connected with each other so you can wait for your reservations or a walk in table while having a nice cup of tea or coffee. She stepped up to the hostess podium and took off her sunglasses.

"I have reservations for Hizuri at 12:30. Would it be possible to wait here until it's ready and the rest of my party comes in?"

The hostess looked at her little book, found the reservation and smiled. "Of course, Hizuri-san, please follow me." The young woman took a small soft covered folder and started to walk to the back. Kyoko followed obediently but a little astonished at the service for the simple coffee shop. They sat her down at a booth and gave her the plush menu.

"Your waitress will be with you shortly. We will come get you when your table is ready and guide your guest to you when they arrive. Please enjoy your meal," she said politely and left. Kyoko looked around. It was light and welcoming with very neutral colors and decorations. The windows surrounding them were tinted so dark that no one could see anyone inside the building which allowed people to sit anywhere they like. Yet, she escorted Kyoko down to a specific table.

She shook her head, no need to fuss over how they take care of their customers. She opened the little folder and found so many different options of coffees, teas, smoothies and other atypical drinks that she really didn't have a chance to read it all by the time the server came.

"I'll have some green tea please." The server bowed and went to make her tea. Meanwhile, Kyoko took out the six offers and started to read them.

They were in no particular order. The first was a contract for her to do a series of commercials for a perfume and was the first that wanted to request her early. Their targets were teens to young adults and it would focus on the carefree woman. They would shoot her having fun with her girlfriends, going to the clubs and meeting men, dating, having fun at school. They didn't specify if it was high school or college. She was sure that each would have an underlying tone of attraction from the opposite sex. So no doubt there will be some actor that would always curiously look at her intrigued. It was all very predictable. They even had a sample. She took the small card and smelled it.

"Ugh!" She pulled back the fowl smelling card.

The waitress came at this time with Kyoko's displaying her disgust. She set down her tea, and the young woman looked at her perplexed. "Is everything okay, miss?"

Kyoko looked up and smiled. "Yes, yes. It's this perfume." She held up the card. "Would you wear this?"

The server took the card, smelled the card, and immediately regretted it. She laughed. "No, miss. I would not. I don't think I would give that to my enemy." Kyoko laughed with her and quickly put it away. The server bowed and walked away. She pushed that one aside. She would really love to sponsor a product like that but she had to at least like it. They would no doubt want her to wear the product, and she didn't want to walk around town smelling like that.

Kyoko opened the next, taking a sip of her tea and smirked. _Of course they would serve the expensive stuff. _She shook her head. The reason she knew it was more expensive was because of the taste. It was sweeter than usual. Normal shops don't put anything in your drink without your consent. In fact, all the things you could put in it were sitting in a little tray next to the pot, so it was naturally sweeter than normal green tea. This was gyokuro green tea. She started recognizing the taste of it after going to so many fancy restaurants. It was the only green tea they served. She liked it though. She sighed. _I'm getting spoiled._

The second was a guest appearance in an existing drama, Say Love. She would be playing the ex girlfriend of the main star. People still wanted her for her mean roles sometimes. A lot of the roles she played moved from mean bully roles to sassy and opinionated. It was only after the movie did they approach her for romantic roles and Red Ribbon was the first. Akane still had some spunk, but it was a much softer role than most. This show was only for 5 episodes for the month of June and a little into July. She set that one aside to review later.

The third was for a full time role, Midnight's Run. It was a supernatural show. The supernatural theme was a huge thing at the moment, and Japan was no different in trying to tap into the market. She would the lead role, a woman who finds out she is a shinigami, a death god. The story is a sad tale of a man she meets, and they falls in love. One day she finds out that he is on her list to take to the other side. Defying the rules, she doesn't allow his death to happen, and they fight together against the other shinigami after them. This one didn't start shooting until after the wedding which was a plus, but they had to teach her how to sword fight. There would be a lot of chorography in this show. The lessons would be twice a week and they wanted a response from her in two weeks. Again, she placed this with the maybe stack.

The forth was another full time role. This was the second one that requested her months in advanced. It's a historical piece about a woman, 500 years ago, who works hard in a male dominated world to become the royal physician to the king. The director felt that Kyoko's strong spirit would capture the successful struggle of the woman in the storyline. There was a small love interest in it as well.

Kyoko read a bit more of it and instantly fell in love with it. The woman was determined to challenge the old fashion way of thinking in ancient times and was successful in her goals taking all challenges head on. She looked at the date, it was scheduled to shoot after the wedding as well and the show will last 54 episodes. She definitely wanted to do this role. She would even be around royalty or pretend royalty. She stuck this one her bag as a yes.

The fifth was a movie, a romantic drama. It would start in shooting in May and would end just after the wedding. That was a point off. She would play the heroine who is torn between two lovers, one was an old love whom she knows completely and loves her in return. They've been together for so long that nothing was new between them. It was comfortable. Then she meets a man, who brings nothing but excitement and stirs up her desire. There was a nude scene in it.

"Bleh, I don't think so," she said to no one and tossed it on top of the perfume book.

"What don't you think?" A voice said beside her and Kyoko immediately jerked up.

"Moko!" Kyoko stood up and hugged her best friend. They came to an understanding. As long as Kyoko didn't scream out and run to her like a fat kid chasing candy, they could hug - a brief hug. Kanae sat down opposite her and immediately handed the menu back to the waitress.

"I'll have what she is having," she stated, and the server came back with another cup. Kanae poured while speaking, "Looking through some new offers?"

Kyoko nodded. "Mastushima-san gave me six this time. I'm very happy more people are looking at me for different things."

Kanae snorted. This girl was too modest for her own good. "What do you have so far?" She picked up the one closest to her which was the reject pile.

"Oh, I'm not going to do those." She reached out to try and take them away but Kanae moved them further away so she could read it.

"I got this offer too, and so did a few other actresses I know." This was the movie deal. "It seems the production company sent out a blanket invitation to anyone who was female to see if there were any bites. Most people I know are saying no to it. I heard they want a lot more than a simple nude scene." She set the booklet down and picked up the other.

"This one looks nice, what's wrong with it?"

"Smell the perfume," Kyoko stated, and Kanae had to search for the little card. It fell out, and she lifted it to her nose. "GAH!" She stuffed it back and started rubbing her nose to try and get rid of the smell.

"That's awful. Who would wear that?" She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well actually it might work for a nice repellent. Squirt some of that and no one will get near you, fans and unwanted suitors. Maybe they should sell it as that." They laughed and started listing all the different things it could help with.

"Spray it around your house for security, no one will rob you," Kyoko joked.

"Oh, critter control, dogs, cats, birds, no animal will ever do their business in your lawn again," Kanae countered.

They had tears coming out of their eyes from laughing, "Wait, wait, I got one, I got one." Kyoko coughed and went into promo mode, "Want to get rid that noisy neighbor? How about that person behind you talking through the movie? Does that smoker next to you in the restaurant refuse to put out their cigarette? One sprit some of this and your evening will turn from drab to fab!" Kanae trying very hard not to burst out laughing as Kyoko animated her little story.

"You girls are having way too much fun and without me." The two girls looked up to find Julie with the hostess. She was holding on to the last two books of invitations in her arms, and the hostess was waiting patiently.

"Your table is ready now, if all of you would please follow me upstairs," The host spoke and waited for the girls to gather their things.

"Hi mother," Kyoko stood up and hugged her. "We were just making fun of this perfume." She handed her the little card and started to collect their items. They all stood and followed the hostess.

"Oh my God, does the company even know what they are producing? They need to fire their chemists." They passed by a trashcan and Julie threw the offensive item away. "Why did you keep that nasty thing? And you even let me smell it. I thought you loved me." She was snorting trying to get the smell out of her nose.

Kyoko laughed. "I do love you, mother, but you wanted to know what we were laughing about. It wouldn't make sense if you didn't smell it."

The hostess showed them to a small table, and Julie requested a larger both. They needed the room for the books and the food. Even if they were three dainty women, they didn't shy from their appetite. They all ordered their favorites, each got about three different types of sushi, and they went to work on the last two books.

Julie was kind enough to bring the ones that Kyoko liked from the other night to compare against the new ones. Looking through the last two books didn't take much time. There was a general theme in all the books, and they all shared a lot of similarities.

There were four that everyone liked:

A white invitation with a simmering silver flourishing design that crawled over everything. The words were printed in black and closed with a silver satin ribbon. The save the date card had much less simmering silver but held the same theme.

A white invitation with foil red roses and foil black stems that interlocked when closed. There were two roses on the front of the invitation when closed and one at the top when they opened it. The save the date card had a small rose on the side too. There was even an option for red silk petals to fall out of the invitation.

A very light silver invitation that was textured. It had a marquise size tri-fold that opened up in the center to reveal the elegant script. It closed with a color ribbon of your choice. The save the date card had the textured imprint but was very plain.

The last was the most unique. This one was Julie's favorite, and it was the most creative. It wouldn't be exactly what the printer had intended it, but they would follow the same format and the printer will still print out the insert. It would be a photo invitation. The way the printer had it was the guest would receive a thick cardstock picture frame with three pictures of the couple showing in cute poses. The bottom of the card had the bride and groom's name printed in a bold color against the dark cardstock. The guest would then pull the card and printed below the pictures would be the invitation.

Kyoko didn't like this until Julie purposed a change.

"Let's give them real picture frames. We can get them made with a sweet quote like "Happy Memories" or "With Love" engraved on the bottom. We can send them with the invitation like it is here with your pictures and they can use the frame for themselves after everything."

"That sounds like fun, but don't you think it seems tacky to send them pictures of us?" Kyoko asked while wrapping her mind around the idea.

"No, who wouldn't want a picture of my babies," Julie said with such sincerity that Kyoko didn't have the heart to object, so she would include it in her options. She took a picture of each of the invitations and sent them to Kuon. She wanted to make sure that he liked them too. After sending each of the pictures she sent a text. **These are the four options. Let me know which you like and don't like when you get the chance. **

"People buy posters of stars all the time," Kanae started as she typed. "No one will object to a set of sweet pictures of Japan's favorite couple," she teased.

Kyoko blushed at Kanae's words. "Yes, I'm sure Japan is thrilled at the though of Hizuri Kuon being taken off the market. I'm ruining everyone's Cinderella story." She packed away all the items and set aside the four invitation sets on top of the books. Kanae took them all and set them beside her on the booth since she was sitting alone.

"Bah! Screw them," Julie spat and both girls looked up at her with wide eyes. "No one ever thinks of the prince in that scenario. Is the prince happy with the girl? Does she even love him for him or for his status and money? Did it ever dawn on anyone that she only fell in love with him because of that? It's not like they ever talked or got to know each other. They had one dance and poof, I'm in love." She made goo-goo eyes at no one making the girls laugh.

The waitress came in and gave them their food at this point. It was served in a decorative plate with an elaborate presentation. She also came by with a fresh pot of tea and refilled their glasses of ice water. The waitress asked if there was anything else and left when they said no. All three girls dived in taking pieces of each others food.

Kyoko spoke up to continue the previous conversation. "In her defense, she didn't know he was the prince when she danced and fell in love with him, only a handsome man." She pointed out.

"And this was at the royal ball?" Julie asked. Kyoko nodded in agreeance and Julie continued, "With all the richest and most prosperous landowners of their country trying to pawn off their daughters to the poor prince? With the prince being the only young handsome bachelor in the whole palace, by the way. If she danced with any other man, they would be old, fat and would use her as a mistress. The only man left to fall in love with was the prince."

Kyoko wanted to cry. She totally tore apart one of her favorite fairytales. Kanae spoke up with a sigh of awe, "I think I've fallen in love with you, Julie-san. I never heard a more perfect way of describing it. It's perfect; you've captured everything that is wrong with the way people perceive love."

"Moko! That's awful. Mother, how can you be so jaded?" She said outraged. "Aren't I in the same position as her? I'm marring the prince."

Julie and Kanae laughed. "No, heavens no, sweetie." Julie hugged Kyoko. "Kuon loved you long before you loved him. You aren't a peasant girl wanting some rich man to take care of you. You will be making as much money as he is very soon. Even if you didn't, you wouldn't spend a yen of his money if you could help it. You live so below your means it's a crime, and Kyoko, you love him for him." She smiled endearingly to Kyoko.

"We wouldn't let you near our son if you had malicious intent. I can't even say you're with him because of lust. You have yet to sleep with him."

"MOTHER!" She half screamed in embarrassment. Kanae looked at Kyoko shocked. "Why must you bring that up again and in public no less?"

"I was merely proving how pure your love for him is. I wasn't trying to say anything bad by it."

Kyoko wanted to find fault in that, but it did prove her point. Still did she have to stay it that way? Before the topic could die a horrible death, Kanae brought it up in a hushed whisper, "You haven't had sex with him yet?"

"Moko, please don't start," she begged but it was too late.

"I know right?" Julie picked it up. "Kuu and I didn't waste any time in that department. I think it was the fact that he's so good in bed that made me fall in love with him," she said with hazy eyes remembering. Kanae laughed, and Kyoko wanted to hide.

"Don't be so bashful, Kyoko. I'm in the same situation you are in," Kanae admitted freely.

"But you're not getting married. You don't even have a boyfriend," she complained.

"True, but I don't have the time, and no one is interesting. They are all about the fast cars and fast girls. It's a hassle to find a nice guy." She sighed. Kanae was open to dating now. She's been on plenty of dates with all sorts of people, all good looking and respectable, in public anyway. They tend to try and push Kanae too far or want too much from her. Then they would cheat on her or dump her for girl that would worship their feet. Kanae wasn't the worshiping kind.

"What about Yukihito?" Julie offered with a little twinkle in her eye. "He's good looking, successful, single and wouldn't expect much since he is so boggled down by work as well."

"He's also eight years my senior," Kanae countered.

Kyoko and Julie looked at each other puzzled. "And? Kuu is five years older than me and Kuon is four years older than Kyoko. Eight isn't so bad," the older woman reasoned.

"No, Look…" She looked around checking for Lory spies and then lowered her voice, "He is turning 30 soon. He's going to want a family and I'm not ready for that. Kids at 22, can you even see that? No, it would ruin my career. He is a great guy but I can't be with anyone if they want a family before I do."

Julie smiled wickedly. "So you do want to date him."

Kanae blushed. "I never said that. I said it wasn't possible for us to date. It's better to avoid the whole thing than try it out, find out there is something there and end it because of personal goals. I am not going to be little miss mommy homemaker for anyone."

Julie sighed annoyed. "You haven't even tried yet. You are making assumptions and condemning the poor man before he's even gotten a chance. Maybe he doesn't want children? Maybe he has family in the area that will take care of the children while you are both working?" Suddenly Julie tossed her hands in the air. "Why are we even talking about children anyway? This is about sex not children."

The two girls blushed to the older worldly woman. "There is a reason why birth control exists, Kanae-chan. You shouldn't be dating losers if you can date Yukihito and be happy. Besides, men can have children into their seventies." Both girls cringed in disgust at the thought of that.

Julie laughed. "Okay, bad images, but you get my point. If you find that you love each other, he can wait until you are ready. Meanwhile, you can have fun without worrying."

"I guess that's true, but this is all pointless. Yashiro-san has never shown any interest in me what so ever," Kanae pointed out and popped a piece of sushi in her mouth.

"He thinks you're very professional and beautiful but scary," Kyoko answered automatically. Both women looked at her stunned.

"He told you this?" Julie asked curiously.

Kyoko nodded. "We were talking about my schedule and I told him I had a lunch date with Moko. Then we started talking about you. I didn't think anything of it then but now thinking back, he asked a lot of questions."

"HA! That's perfect. He thinks of you. Flirt with him a little, and he will ask you out in a heartbeat." Julie's smile was blinding with excitement.

"No. He said I was scary. Why would he say scary? You don't date people who think you are scary." Kanae was getting flustered. "Mo! Why are we talking about me? I'm not the one who is about to marry a man she's never had sex with."

Kyoko cowered with her head in her arms, "Whaaaa! Stop it! We've done things. We do things all the time. What does it matter if we do it now or later?" She whined.

"It doesn't, sweetie. I'm sorry." Julie put her arm around Kyoko's huddled form. "As long as you are happy, it's fine."

Kyoko straightened up in a huff. "Thank you."

"But since the topic came up…" Julie turned to Kyoko, and she groaned letting her head fall to the tabletop, "What are you doing for birth control? You mentioned that you didn't want children yet."

Kyoko sighed and thought about it. "Nothing, we haven't done anything that would require birth control."

"And what if something does happen?" Julie countered, "You are doing things with him and you might get carried away. What happens then?"

She blushed as she remembered his sleep over. She wanted him so badly and begged, but he didn't do it. She should be very thankful of his discipline. "He has condoms," she whispered shyly.

"Pfft." Julie waved her hand in the air dismissing that. "Those are for teenagers who don't know when they are getting any. You are about to be a married woman going on your honeymoon. Condoms are extremely inconvenient. Let's go to the clinic. The sooner you start the better. Some times it takes time for birth control to come into effect. You too, Kanae-chan." Julie pointed at her with her chopsticks.

"ME? WHY!" Kanae sputtered out her drink with the sudden outburst.

"Well for Yukihito, of course. You said you didn't want children so you have to be on birth control too. Might as well get it done for both of you at the same time."

"I'm not even dating him! I'm not going to have sex with him on the first date," Kanae stated outraged at the mere thought of it.

Julie pouted. "No? I would have. Something about the way that man carries himself." She smiled sexily. "It's sexy."

The server came in during this time with a professional smile and asked her usual question, "Can I get you ladies anything else?"

Both Kanae and Kyoko spoke at the same time, "The check!"


	18. Picnic

**A/N: I do not own the Japanese songs mentioned below.**

Chapter 18

Kuon called her about the invitations later that day. He asked questions about the picture frame and liked the idea so Kyoko did some digging into it. She called up a company from Lory's little black book and found that there was no way to make 500+ custom made picture frames by the end of July, no matter how much money was thrown at them.

Much to Julie's disappointment, they went with their second choice. Kuon didn't really care either way. Kyoko liked the roses but instead of roses, she asked if they could do autumn trees since they were having their wedding in September. Not mentioning the difference in price tag, they were happy to do it. They would redesign it to be upright instead of horizontal and the tree branches would interlock with foiled red, brown and orange leaves and the same black trunk. Then inside instead of red flower pedals would be red, brown and orange silk leaves. They produced the save the card sample for her the next day with the new design and everyone fell in love with it.

She truly doubted that they would have hated anything she picked, but the small autumn tree with the pretty script that said they were getting married brought a smile to everyone's lips. Kuon liked it better than the first as well since it felt more like their style in general.

Kyoko spent a day with her guardians addressing all the little cards to all the guests. They never once complained on spending their one day off doing this. They talked and laughed and had fun while they wrote every single one of them. All of their hands were cramping by the time they were done, but she felt good about it. It felt so impersonal putting a premade sticker on each envelope. She was able to send them all out the next day.

The rest of her time was spent on filming and promotions. Even with all the planning, she's been interviewing, doing guest shows and filming Red Ribbon. She wasn't able to see Kuon until the following Thursday afternoon. She also hasn't had a chance to review the offers she was considering. She told Matsushima to reject the perfume ad and the movie but that left the other four, one of which she has yet to even read.

It was far too late to view the blooming sakura trees, but Kuon said they could still have a picnic. It was only them today, which was a nice treat. Kuu and Julie were currently filming and modeling respectively. She packed up their lunch, a blanket, all her offers, and they set off. It took a little bit of driving, but they found an almost barren park with a small lake. Kuon set up the little blanket then promptly lay down on it.

He sighed as he relaxed. "A person can almost fall asleep here," he muttered. Kyoko sat down and started to pull things out of the basket.

"So we are finally alone and all you want to do is sleep?" She pouted.

He popped up on one elbow. "I said almost. There is one thing that is missing."

She eyed him suspiciously. "What? Four walls and a roof?"

"No, you," he grabbed and pulled her down over his chest.

"Kuon, we are in public!" She tried to push off of him, but he kept her close.

"There is no one here and no one cares. I'm not going to do anything. Are you?" He winked at her, and she blushed.

"No, I think I can control myself outside." She still pushed off of him and sat up straight. He followed her with a sly smile. He sat beside her, still facing her. He leaned across her, placing his hand on her right, his face immediately in her view. Kuon lifted his right hand and softly caressed her cheek. She followed his hand and his lips captured hers. She sighed and leaned into his kiss, her eyes fluttering closed. Her head felt light and airy as he kissed her. He pulled away and then kissed her chastely. He shifted away and then laid his head on her lap.

Still in a haze, she smiled sweetly at him and started petting his hair back. "You're not allowed to fall asleep though."

"If I remember correctly, you were the one to fall asleep the last time we were like this," he teased.

She blushed laughing. "I can't believe you remember that. That was years ago."

"I remember everything you've done with me, even when you cried about getting an 88 on a math test."

She covered her face with her hand. "Geez, you even remembered the score." She sighed, "I remembered lots of things with you too, my fairy prince." She returned her hand to his hair. "You've always been there for me, even if you weren't physically there. Thinking back on it, there was no way for me to not fall in love with you."

Kuon laughed. "I don't know about that. You were pretty determined."

"And you weren't? All the dinners and lunches, the rides and advice, all the gifts you gave me as a "thanks" for absolutely nothing. I was starting to think you wanted me to kill someone for you."

He laughed. "Nope, I wanted you, nothing else." He took her left hand and kissed her palm and then kept it with his on his chest.

She squeezed his hand. "Well, you have me. Now the question is, what are you going to do with me?"

He looked up at her, and his eyes went dark. She stopped breathing, her eyes flickering around her and then back at him. "The real question is what am I _not_ going to do with you?" He turned to his side with his face buried in her stomach.

"Kuon, what…," she gasped as he lifted her shirt and bit her stomach. She looked around hoping that no one was watching. Kyoko saw a person with their dog far off in the distance throwing a Frisbee. She whimpered as he licked her, slowly tickling her. She turned to her left and saw another couple sitting on a bench but still too far to really see what they are doing. He ran his tongue across her stomach and finally stopped at her belly button. Her eyes fluttered closed as he kissed her and lightly circled the little button. She gasped as he slipped the tip of his tongue inside.

"Kuon, please," she begged. He looked up at her and smiled. He pressed another kiss below her belly button and pulled her shirt back down. He sat up and quickly kissed her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get carried away," he apologized and sat casually beside her. He reached over for the water, broke the seal and handed it to her.

She took the bottle. "You know I don't mind, it's that…," she shyly looked down.

"Right, wrong place," he sighed and turned to the basket. "Let's eat then." Kuon looked into the basket and found a bunch of papers. He pulled them out and asked, "Are these your new offers?"

"Yes, I was hoping to get your opinion on it." She eagerly set the water bottle down and picked up the first one. It was the historical one, Jewel in the Palace. She was really excited about it and started to rant and rave making him smile endearingly at her.

"Then there is this one which will be filmed at the same time." She told him about the supernatural one, Midnight's Run.

"If I think about what's popular, doing Midnight's Run would be smart but the writing is overdone. The theme is extremely popular with the people right now and the story line has the whole love conquers all thing that is always a hit. It would get my name out there especially with my demographic. They would eat this up."

Kuon was nibbling on the onigiri she packed. "Hmmm… you're right."

"But I really like this story," she lifted the first story, "but historical plots and ones with such little romance are not popular. I'm worried that it would be a mistake to take this role even though it's such a great story."

Kuon took the offer and read the few pages of script that were included. Kyoko stayed silent while he read it over, taking her time to eat some of the meal she packed. He finished the first rice ball and reached out for another one only to find the box missing. He looked up and found Kyoko glaring at him with the box in hand. He laughed as she pointed to the grilled vegetables she made. He picked up a skewer and continued reading.

"What do you think?" She asked as he finished and set it down.

"I think you should do both," he said as he picked up a pair of chopsticks and pulled over the fish.

"B…both? But then that would mean I would be doing three dramas. At the same time!" She stuttered, "And I would be the lead in all of them. I wouldn't have time for anything else." She paused. "I wouldn't have time for us," she whispered.

He smiled and looked up at her softly. "It's true and I'll miss you. You'll be busy for a bit but I think it will be worth it. First, Red Ribbon is going to be ending at the end of the year. Second, fad shows like Midnight's Run are short. They do one seasons, maybe two, and once the populous start to lose interest, they stop the show before the ratings drop too far."

Kuon felt a dark cloud gloom overhead and looked over to Kyoko. She was surrounded by this deathly aura. "W…what's the matter?" Fear and worry washed over him.

"I'm still not good enough to make the show popular enough for it to last," she mumbled and he sighed.

"Kyoko, it doesn't matter how good the actor is, if the writing sucks, the show will go down. You know how I feel about your acting. Don't do this," he pleaded with her. "You said it yourself that the story is over done, it's cliché. You're the only reason this show would get any ratings to begin with."

"You're just saying that," Kyoko pouted, and he got angry which made her snap to attention.

"I would never lie to my kohai about her acting. Who was the one you would go to whenever you needed discipline?" He asked threatening.

"You," she said softly.

"Was I ever easy on you?"

She shook her head in fear.

He slid his hand behind her neck and forced her to look at him. "Now, tell me. Would I tell you your acting was great if I thought it was terrible?"

"N...no," she stuttered and gulped. "You would tell me to stop being a fool and fix it."

Kuon's face softened, and he forcefully kissed her. Her eyes widened in shock, her former kohai self returning during his lecture. She squeaked when his teeth bit her lip forcing her mouth open. His tongue swept inside her, tangling with hers. She moaned softly, her hands reaching out to him, her eyes drifting close. He gently laid her down, half on the blanket and half on the grass. He invaded her and fed from the sweetness of her mouth.

He pulled back and smiled down at her. She licked her lips and opened her eyes. "What was that for?" She said in a daze.

"It felt like we were slipping back to the past for a moment, had to remind myself of the present." He grinned and leaned down to kiss her again. She raised her hand to his lips stopping him.

"It's still the wrong place, Kuon."

He started laughing hysterically. That felt way too familiar too. This time, she wasn't scared out of her mind. She was her normal self, comfortable in his arms, and the prospect of kissing him.

"Give me one more kiss, and I'll let you up," he bargained.

Kyoko blushed harder and placed her hand on his cheek. He leaned down, and she softly pressed her lips against his and as promised he lifted her back up, releasing her. He laid on his propped up on his elbow and went back to the offers. He picked the other two up.

"So does that mean these two are no's?" Kuon was reading the guest appearance one first.

"Well Jewel in the Palace doesn't start till October. Midnight's Run will have me train once I say yes, but again won't start filming till the end of September. That one I can do now and I haven't read the other yet."

He looked at the other, and the area got very quiet, "This is from _him_. I thought you told them to reject anything that came from him."

"I did but Matsushima-san kept it, and I thought I would look at it."

Kuon raised his eyebrow in intrigue. "To sing?" He turned to look at her and asked, "You can sing?"

She shook her head. "No, I can't sing." She snatched the paper from him and read it. He wanted to do another PV with her, but he wanted her to sing a small verse. "Why would he send this to me? He should be asking Matsunai Ruriko to sing, not me."

"Sho may be an arrogant idiot, but he doesn't mess around with his music. He wouldn't ask you to sing for his video if he thought you sang badly." Kuon paused, and Kyoko looked over to him. "Kyoko, I never heard you sing before," he said it curiously, not angry or sad, just curious.

"I don't sing. I haven't sung in ages, and I'm telling you I'm not very good," she finished. He was looking at her waiting, not believing her.

"What?" She asked nervously.

"Sing for me."

She blushed. "I'm telling you I can't sing, and I don't know any songs to burst out into song like some musical."

He chuckled. "Sing anything. Sing Happy Birthday. I don't care. Just sing for me. I want to hear you sing."

Kyoko opened her mouth to object and then closed it. She looked around a little embarrassed and then back at Kuon. He was looking up at her waiting patiently. She sighed. She tried to remember a song, the lyrics of something current but nothing came to mind. Finally, she remembered an old children's song, Rainy Day.

She coughed lightly and took a breath. "Ame ame fure fure…," she started to sing. It was a light hearted sweet tune singing about a rainy day and a child's mother coming to pick him or her up from school. The child sees another child, cold and wet, so the child runs up and gives their umbrella to the lonely child saying they can share their mother's. She sang it perfectly. Everything was in perfect tone and pitch. She made the cute child's song into something beautiful. As soon as Kyoko finished the song, her face heated up from embarrassment.

"I told you I was a terrible singer."

"Who told you that?" He asked sincerely.

"No one had to tell me. I know I don't sound like those pop girls on the radio."

"You're right," Kuon admitted, and Kyoko nodded in agreement. "You're so much better than them," he added, and she stopped nodding.

"What?"

"You are. You don't sing like them, because you can actually carry a note." She just blinked at him. He shook his head. "Sing another one."

"But…"

"Please?" He pouted playfully.

She licked her lips and sang Momiji. It's an old traditional song she heard a lot at the ryokan. It's about the fall and the beautiful colors the autumn leaves produced. It was a little longer than the first but not as childish in its melody. She was looking at him when she started to sing but couldn't hold his gaze for very long. He was in such awe that she messed up the line and started over again. He laughed as she blushed, and she had to look away to finish the song.

"Another," he asked, and she huffed.

"Again? The only other one I can remember is a lullaby."

"Okay, sing the lullaby." He was eager like a child watching their favorite show. She smiled, laughing silently.

_Sleeping, sleeping,  
Sleeping, baby  
The songs of the cradle,  
The canary sings  
Sleeping, sleeping,  
Sleeping, baby_

She laughed as she finished as he pretended to fall asleep. "Now I really am out of songs. Why have me sing?"

"I wanted to hear you sing. How did _he_ know you could sing?"

Kyoko grimaced. "He probably heard me singing his lyrics way back when. I never thought he was listening or even cared. I was muttering when I did the housework."

"So why don't you do that when you wash the dishes at my place?"

She sighed. "I don't know. My love for music sort of died with him. I mean I liked the songs because I was in love with him. I'm not really sure I even liked music at all. I still listen to it but I don't really hear it anymore. I was being my normal obsessive self, I guess." The little gloom cloud started to form, and Kuon quickly wanted to disperse it.

"So then is the only reason you love me, because you love acting so much?" He sounded hurt and sad when he asked.

Kyoko instantly burst alive again. "No! I mean, I do love acting, but I love you - for you. You can only be a model and I'd still love you, and I would still be an actress. I wouldn't stop acting if you stopped acting." Kuon smiled at his frantic fiancée. She would continue to rant until he stopped her. He placed his hand on her hands, and she stopped.

"I love you, too." His words made her blush but the message was clear.

"So then do you think I should take the job?" she asked timidly.

"Do you want to take the job? If you do, people will hear you sing, and you will get more offers similar to it." He snorted. "You might even be casted for a musical someday."

She gave such an astounded look that Kuon couldn't help but laugh. "It's true. Maybe LME can give you a record deal, if you wanted to improve your singing."

"So then, you would be a model and actor and I would be an actor and singer?" She asked curiously, he simply nodded. She laughed. "There would be a Hizuri in every entertainment field possible."

Kuon thought about it for a moment and then laughed. "Yeah, well we don't have one in the adult industry, unless you count my cousin, Katie." Kyoko stared at him at that comment making him laught. "I'm kidding. She isn't a Hizuri anymore. I think she got married a few years ago. Her last name starts with an M now… Megan? Murphy?" He shook his head. "I don't remember anymore."

"Wha…ahhh… errrr." She struggled to say something, and Kuon was snickering at her struggle with the idea. "You're lying," she finally said.

"Really? Hmm." He smiled at her still chuckling to himself. "It doesn't really matter if I have a cousin in the porn industry or not." She blushed at the word, making his smile widened. "You still need to decide whether you want to sing at his video."

"I don't think I will. I really don't like the idea of singing much, even if it will further my career. I think I'll stick with acting only." She twisted her mouth in thought and looked at Kuon. "Is that okay?"

"Of course, why wouldn't you think it's okay?"

"Well because you model and act. Mother does too and Moko as well." She paused looking at the offer. "Maybe I should sing too then?" She formed it into a question.

"Dad only acts and so do a lot of other people. Mom and I like to model. But if I had to, I would give up modeling for acting. Do what makes you happy." He moved over to her and put his head on her lap, his face facing up, with a content sigh.

She giggled. "Like you do huh?" She shifted her legs lightly wiggling his head.

He closed his eyes. "Yup!" He snuggled his head against her thighs as if trying to get comfortable again.

"Hmm… well then I'll just do that." Kyoko looked out on the blanket and saw an orange within reaching distance. She leaned forward and reached out for the orange. She glanced down at him and smiled. Her modest chest was hovering over his face, and he was actually blushing as a result.

"Oh, please excuse me, I've almost got it." She leaned down further her hand already on the orange.

"AAAH!" She yelped. He reached out and grabbed her forcing her breast into his face. She quickly pulled away or tried to, in effect wrapping her body around his head. She was laughing and half screaming as he playfully pinched her shirt and sometimes her skin with his mouth. She gasped as his lips found her nipple and pinched it lightly.

"Oh, I found something good," he mumbled into her blouse and did it again. She blushed then fought harder to get away. She pushed against his shoulder, and he let go with a smile.

"Pervert," she mumbled fixing her blouse.

"You started it." He rose up from her lap and gave her a quick kiss. "Let me take you home and I promise to finish it," he breathed down her neck, his lips touching her skin as he spoke. A shiver ran through her body, and her mind conjured up thoughts and images.

Her voice came out trembling. "Not yet okay." He nodded and kissed her shoulder. Her body hummed with desire, and he seemed to have noticed.

"Are you sure? We don't have to do anything you don't want to do," he offered. It was so very tempting.

She shook her head. "Next time, okay. I pro…" He kissed her to stop her words.

"You don't have to promise me anything. I only want to make you happy." He kissed her tenderly, filled with his love and patience. She melted under his touch.

_Soon, I promise, soon, Kuon. You won't be left wanting for very long._


	19. No More

Chapter 19

The weeks started to roll by. She had a fitting for her second wedding dress and the fourth dress was almost completed. Kuon finally went to the tailor and put in his request for a suit and a kimono. She was panicking about it, and he had to reassure her.

"Dresses take a lot longer than suits. Trust me. Mine will be done long before yours are."

She will find out that he was right. Was it scary that he knew that and she didn't? Kyoko had fittings scheduled until a month before the wedding while his would be done in June. It wasn't fair. He was also only going to wear something from his closet for the casual wear. So he only had to change three times to her four.

Lory took care of all the service that was required. He hired the valets, servers and attendants. He took care of the out of town guests. He reserved rooms at the InterContinental Ana Tokyo hotel. They were the only hotel that had enough rooms for everyone. She didn't want to know how he did that. He booked all the transportation to the wedding and to the reception hall. He booked a florist but they were waiting for her call, so she could tell them what she wanted. He also told her to hurry and call the baker for the wedding cake. It is the same baker that made the happy grateful party cake years back.

Kyoko couldn't be more thankful to the man. He hired and made arrangements for things she didn't even think about. She trusted him and his choices in things. Every single one of his choices to date was perfect. They all were practiced at dealing with large parties and offered her great prices. They did give back his 50 page list of entertainment choices, which was cut down to three pages. Kuon did the timing for all of it and figured it would be about a 4 hour show, they hoped. They didn't want to take up the whole day on the entertainment part.

Julie did, in fact, take Kyoko to the clinic. No, Kanae did not go. She was 99% safe as the doctor said. Kyoko was a little overwhelmed and a touched out of her element when they went in. Julie asked all the questions, and Kyoko provided some of the necessary answers. Well really there was only one question. How many partners have you had? Once she said she was a virgin, the other questions were moot. After that were questions about her plans. Do you want children within the next 5 years?

That was difficult to answer. She didn't know how long it would be till she wanted children. At the moment, it was the furthest thing from her mind. Five years from now might be a different story. There were several issues that arose that made her choices limited. With her schedule, she couldn't take the pill because she might be busy with work or out on a shoot and can't get to them. Not to mention anyone can see that you are taking them. The patch was a little better since you could replace it anytime during the day as long as it was the same day every week.

Kyoko automatically eliminated anything that would have to be inserted in her special place and the doctor agreed. It was mostly for women who were already sexually active and had children. She can use it if she wanted to, and it will still be affective, but once he started talking about checking to see if things were alright, she shook her head. No.

Next was a basic shot. There was no evidence of it and it lasted for three months. They described it, and it did seem perfect. She would have to schedule a visit every 12 weeks to the day to make sure she stayed safe. The only issue was that she couldn't take it for more than two years due to bone loss, which was a little creepy.

Lastly was Implanon. It's a little, very thin, stick that is implanted into the person's arm with a needle. It lasted for 3 years, and they were promised that it left no visible scars. It can be removed early, if she didn't like it or wanted to get pregnant. This was what she picked. She didn't have to worry about it and there would be no "checking" or "inserting" things up there. They did some blood work, a physical and three days later she had two little bandages on her left tricep. Five days later and it was like nothing ever happened. In fact, she sort of forgot about it

Kyoko was able to submit her offers, saying yes to both Midnight's Run and Jewel in the Palace. She started her sword training at the end of May. To say that the casting director was pleased was putting it mildly. She received a thank you basket full of chocolates, fruits and champagne. Julie recognized the items in the basket as a fondue package. The night she got it, they bought a fondue set and were dipping pieces of fruit into the dark chocolate over more wedding planning. Julie and Kuu drank most of the champagne.

She also agreed to the guest appearance since it was short and would allow her to work with a currently popular series. She would work with a director she's never met but with an actress she's would like to have never met, Nanokura Mimori. Thankfully, she wasn't dating Sho anymore but that didn't make her any less unpleasant. It was sort of a good thing, since Mimori always thought Kyoko was there to steal her boyfriend anyway. This time it was true, but Kyoko's character was destined to fail.

Speaking of Sho, she has yet to decline his offer. The deadline was getting close, and she received multiple calls from Matsushima to give them her answer. Finally today, she was going to force herself to do it, but the offers from him had to stop. After Kuon forcefully cut ties with Reino, the mysterious phone calls kept happening. She found out who it was from and that confused her further. She didn't understand his motives other than he was upset that one of his toys was stolen from him.

Kyoko knew there was no reasoning with her old flame, but she hoped there was some if she spoke with his keeper, Shoko. The day just started and breakfast was done. She had an afternoon shoot with Red Ribbon and then back home. Everyone was busy with work or public appearances today, so she was alone. She ran through a list of points she wanted to discuss with Shoko and dialed.

She answered quickly, "Aki Shoko speaking." Her voice was like a melody, sweet and airy.

"Good Morning Shoko-san, this is Mogami Kyoko. Could you spare a moment to discuss Sho's current offer?" Kyoko spoke in calm even tones, wanting to convey that she wanted to talk about business - and only business. She waited patiently when no one answered her.

"Shoko-san?"

"Ah! Yes, Kyoko-chan. I'm free. Sho is still asleep. What can I do for you?" She sounded nervous or excited, Kyoko couldn't exactly tell without seeing her face.

"I am hoping to get your cooperation actually."

Shoko smiled. "Yes, of course. For what exactly?"

"Please stop sending in requests for me to work with Sho. I realize that you aren't really the one sending them. He is requesting me for some reason or another, but I won't accept them," Kyoko stated bluntly and there was a noticeable pause on the other end of the line.

"Kyoko-chan, it would benefit you greatly to be associated with Fuwa Sho," Shoko stated in a clear and determined voice. "He is Japan's top musician. Being casted in his PV would increase your ratings exponentially considering the amount of work required for it is considerably less than a TV spot. The results of this offer would be in your favor."

Shoko wasn't an idiot. Kyoko commended her for her rational commentary and marketing skills, but the fact still remained the same. "I can't argue with that. I know for a fact how advantageous it is to be in his PVs. Perhaps if it was simply a PV, I would have accepted it, but he is asking me to sing. I have no desire to sing."

Shoko coughed lightly. "Ah, yeah, I was a little shocked to see that myself. I cautioned him about recruiting an actress to sing his duet, but he seemed to believe that you are the only one to pull of this song." She paused for a moment and lowered her voice, "Please, Kyoko-chan. Please reconsider. We had several artists in here to sing it, and he wasn't happy with any of them."

"I'm sorry to hear that but I will not, and I would appreciate if Sho simply stopped requesting me to act in his PVs. There are hundreds of women trying to start their careers that fit Sho's personal body preference, a lot more willing actresses."

"I refuse," Shoko stated, shocking Kyoko into silence. She expected this from Sho but never his manager.

"Excuse me?"

"You are being unreasonable." Shoko stopped and Kyoko heard some voices coming through the phone. "Look Kyoko-chan, I need to go. Are you available to meet with me today?"

"I'm not going to meet with you and Sho so you can gang up on me to do the song." Kyoko was dumbfounded and upset. Shoko was supposed to be the reasonable one.

"We're not. I promise. It will only be me and you. We will discuss the terms and come to an agreement that will meet both of our needs. Please be open-minded and listen," Shoko pleaded in a hushed voice.

Kyoko sighed. "Fine." She told Shoko her schedule and they agreed to meet at 10am. An agreement? She didn't want to do the song. She didn't want to do any more of his music videos. What sort of agreement would have them both happy? It's times like this that she wished she had a real manager. She was at Akatoki Agency at 9:50. She really didn't have much to do till the meeting so she was early.

"I would like to see Aki Shoko, please?" She said to the lobby receptionist with a calm demeanor. _I am expected… see I'm not a LME spy._

"7th floor, Room 704," The receptionist replied. Kyoko smiled politely and went on her way to the elevator. She had this weird feeling surrounding her the moment she stepped into the building. As if she was in another dimension or like she was trying to figure out exactly what was wrong with something, and she couldn't figure it out. Granted it was obvious why she was feeling this way. This wasn't her home. At least this time, she wasn't wearing hideous bright pink overalls.

She stepped out, and the floor was covered in cubicles. LME had a nice open lay out in which everyone can speak to anyone. This felt so very enclosed and impersonal, but then everyone has their privacy with this format. She walked the edge of the floor where all the offices were. His manager would have his own office and not a cubicle. It was easy to find, she was sitting there looking extremely sexy in her professional suit behind a flooded desk.

She knocked politely even with the door wide open. "Good Morning, Shoko-san," she bowed in greeting.

"Kyoko-chan," she smiled brightly, "please come in."

"Your office is big." Kyoko wanted to compliment it, to keep things on friendly terms with each other. She hesitantly stepped in taking a look around. The place looked a little cluttered actually. There were three sets of shelves all full of miscellaneous items. Everything was very minimally decorated, but there were personal effects that didn't quite seem to match. She noticed pictures of her with what looked like her family and another with a slightly older gentleman, a boyfriend perhaps? Then there were other pictures of a family with two kids and a cat and another of a couple rock climbing. Each personal picture had a completely different feel to it. None of them had a common denominator either.

"Ah, well, I share this with two other managers. We use the calendar to make sure we have it for meetings or what not." That explains the personal differences. "So, is there anyway I can convince you to do this song?" She pleaded. "We don't have to do a PV for it. Just record the song with him. It will take two, three hours tops and you won't hear from us again."

Kyoko grimaced. "Just like when I played the angel and then I got three other offers to be in other PVs for him. No matter what, there is no last time with Sho." She was cold, but she herself believed that. No matter what she said or did, Sho would be apart of her life in some way.

"So what if we made up a contract," Shoko offered.

"What would it entail?"

"It would state that Fuwa Sho is not to enlist your services for the remainder of his career if you commit to singing this song and feature in the PV. We would have to include some interviews with him and…"

"No," Kyoko stopped her. "First you tell me to sing the song. Now, you want me to do a spread with him on Entertainment Tokyo." She sighed. "I'm trying to stop whatever it is we have going on right now. I don't even understand why he picked me to sing this verse of his anyway."

"Because I wrote it for you."

She didn't have to look to know it was him. Even if his voice gave him away, Kyoko felt the familiar presence behind her. Sho always had this aura to him. He would forever have this unique taste in her mouth. Please excuse the sensual term but that's the best way to describe it. It wasn't a good or bad thing. It was simply Sho. Kuon was the same. No matter what, she would be able to pick him out of a room or stadium simply by his aura, no matter how he looked or how hard he tried to hide.

She turned to him and bowed in greeting, "Good morning, Sho." She wanted to revert back to his last name, to show him that she has distance herself from him but why bother. He would get upset, and she honestly didn't want him upset. They grew up with each other. There was no way to ever stop the familiarity between them. No matter how bad or good their relationship was or will be. They will always be Sho and Kyoko to each other.

"Did you even consider the offer?" he walked into the room casually and closed the door behind him. The place suddenly felt very small to Kyoko. "Why didn't you have your company call and reject the offer like all the others?"

"Yes, I thought it through. I wanted all this to stop, so I called up Shoko-san. This was supposed to be a meeting between her and me. Why are you closing the blinds?" Sho had moved to the window and started turning the little stick slowly turning the blinds shut.

"Shoko, can we have a minute." It wasn't a question, and immediately, his subservient manager stands up.

"No," Kyoko said forcefully, freezing Shoko in her tracks. "Either we both stay or we both go. I'm not speaking to you in a room alone without witnesses and then have the tabloids spread rumors about me cheating with you."

That pissed him off. Sho slammed his fist through the drywall, making both of the women jump in surprise. He turned fiery eyes to her. "You shouldn't be seeing anyone, let alone marrying that prick." He stormed up to her but she stood her ground. "You belong to me. You always have, since we were born."

Fire consumed her eyes. "I belong to no one but myself, but then that's all you ever thought of me, a thing, a toy that you could use and toss and pick up whenever you like." Kyoko tried to keep her voice down, to keep her temper from consuming her. "Grow up, Sho. I've moved on, do the same." She started to leave, but he reached out and grabbed her arm.

She glared down at his hand and flickered her eyes up at him. "Release me. You do not have the right to touch me."

Sho sneered and squeezed her arm but let go. "Fine, have it your way." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Do the song with me and then live your happy little life with the two bit actor."

"No and not because it's you," Kyoko snapped and took a moment to calm her temper. She would not be beaten. She will remain professional. She wanted to clarify her logical reasoning to him. "It's because I have no interest in singing. If I sing with you, then everyone will know that I can sing and I'll get offers for things I don't want to do." She stopped for a moment and then bowed. "Thank you by the way."

"For what?" Sho frowned in confusion.

"For the compliment. You haven't had very many duets and for you to ask me, an actress and your childhood," she hesitated at the word, "friend to sing with you. That is the greatest compliment you have ever given to me."

"Yeah, sure." There was a light blush on his cheeks, which made Kyoko smile a little.

"I'm sorry but no, Sho. Please pick someone else to sing the song." She bowed and started opening the door. Time seemed to slow down to a crawl, with absolutely nothing settled between them. Shoko looked from Kyoko to Sho and made split decision.

"Wait, Kyoko! He loves you," Shoko screamed and Kyoko immediately shut the door closed before her scream carried out. Both of them turned to look at the manager who was flustered from… _his_ confession? They watched her walk over to Kyoko, giving Sho a wide berth.

"He does," she licked her lips nervously. "He told me." She leaned in and whispered to her ear, "He calls out your name, well whispers your name. He always does." Shoko looked at Kyoko's face in hope and found something she never expected. She wasn't hurt or angry. She wasn't shocked or disgusted. Shoko thought perhaps Kyoko would be happy or embarrassed but that wasn't it either. There weren't any of the emotions that Shoko thought would be expressed on her face. What Shoko saw was sorrow. She raised her hand to Shoko's cheek and pulled her into a hug.

"You love him." It was all Kyoko whispered into Shoko's ear and it stuck through her like lighting into her heart. She didn't phrase it into a question. There wasn't a hint of doubt or wavering in her statement. Kyoko said it as a fact, and Shoko's reaction to it proved her right.

Kyoko pulled away to the now trembling manager. "I'm sorry," she apologized for unknowingly keeping Sho's attention on her and not on the one he was sleeping with at night, and for the pain and suffering she's had to endure all this time. Then she turned to look at the naive singer. "He doesn't know what love is."

With his pride and arrogance wrapped around him, he defended himself, "I know what love is, and she is right. I always have and you love me too! You said it all the time," his voice now went soft, but still filled with anger. He walked over to her as he spoke.

"I love Sho-chan the best."

"All I need is you."

"What happened to all of that?" He whispered to her. He stopped a mere step away. Kyoko stayed silent for a moment, and he waited for the words: _You dumped me. _His ears rang with it. He heard it all the time. This time he had the perfect come back.

"I met Kuon," she said with the softest most sincere voice. Sho was speechless. That was not what he was expecting. She smiled the most angelic smile thinking about him. She looked up and sadness replaced love in her eyes. She bowed. "I should go." She turned to leave but was once again stopped.

He surrounded her, his hands on the door keeping it shut with her pinned between him. "You can't. You can't leave me. I love you, Kyoko." This was the first time he actually said it, and Kyoko sighed. She turned towards him.

"I loved you. Your parents love you. Mimori loves you. Shoko loves you. Everyone loves you. You are so easy to fall in love with Sho, but you are the worse person in the world at returning it." Her words made him smile at first, but quickly turned into a frown as she finished. He lowered his hands and was about to speak, but she continued to speak angrily.

"You don't force a kiss on someone you love, Sho. You don't hit them when you are angry. You don't say cruel things to them to get them to think about you. You don't treat them like a servant and say they are beneath you. You don't cheat on them behind their back with your fans. The people who love you are not your possessions!" Her voice was rising, but she couldn't help it. Each line caused Sho to back up as she stepped forward till finally he fell back into a chair with her looming over him.

Her voice went soft, "If you loved me, you would be mine, your heart, body and soul. You would do anything for me. You would give up your music for me. You would make me something to eat if I was hungry. You would tell me I'm beautiful when I'm sick with the flu. You would touch me as if I would break every time we embraced. You would hold me when I cry and then do everything in your power to make me smile and laugh, because seeing me happy should be the highest priority in your heart."

"No one would do that for someone," he replied softly, and she responded with a sad smile.

"I did it for you," she confessed and shook her head, "Love is the willingness to do all those things. If they loved you in return, you know they would never ask those things of you, because they want you to be just as happy as they are."

She sighed as the look of stubborn pride was engrained on his face. She bent over him again, and he leaned back. She smiled and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Sho, if what you do feel for me is love, then I cannot return your feelings." She bowed to him. She stood up and looked at both Sho, who sat in the chair stunned and looking more like a child than she had ever seen, and Shoko, who stood in the corner deep in thought, her eyes glittering with unshed tears and trembling hands.

"As for the song...," She started and both of them looked at her with a little more strength. Business always pushed back personal emotions but just for a moment, "I know I didn't give you much time. The offer date is two days away, so I gather that you need to record it soon. So I'll do this. I would like you both to audition for another singer to do the song. Please put aside all personal feelings, and if you still do not find the right singer for the song. I will sing it."

Sho sat up and opened his mouth, but Kyoko raised her hand. "I will not do a PV with you again. I will also want a contract stating that my name will not be released or associated with this song or in the album in anyway."

"We need to say who sang the song." It was Shoko who spoke up.

Kyoko nodded. "Which is why it is in your best interest to find another singer. If this song is your next number 1 hit, which I'm sure it will be, having the other singer at your side to do a live performance or do a PV would be greatly desired by your agency."

"Why are you fighting this so hard?" Sho asked. There was no anger nor was he trying to tease her in anyway. He wanted to know.

"I am not fighting this. If we didn't have these personal feelings between us, you would have accepted my reason not to do the song. I do not want to sing, period. I don't feel the same thrill you do when I sing. Acting is my passion. So that means I'm fighting you, Sho. All those years ago, you let me go and I kept holding on, then finally when I let go of you and what we were suppose to be, I find you still fighting to keep it. I'm trying to let go and stop all this. I'm about to be married to another man. There is no more reason to fight. We need to simply be."

No one spoke, so Kyoko thought that would be a good time to go. "You know where to reach me if you need me for the song. Goodbye." She smiled softly and left.

**A/N: Is it bad that I really enjoyed writing the Sho scene? **


	20. Caterers

Chapter 20

May was coming to an end, and Kyoko started her lessons in basic sword fighting. Since it would normally take years to master the sword, they altered her class schedule to accommodate the film. The dojo was apparently use to dealing with production companies and actors coming in for lessons. They taught her how to hold it, to stand and sit with it, the basics of having a sword on her at all times. They even allowed her to take it home with her to practice.

Today, Kyoko had most of the day off, so she may choose the caterers for the wedding and the rehearsal dinner. She was currently at Morinozuka dojo practicing. They had her swing the sword up over her head and then swiftly bring it down with her arms straight out in front of her. This simple motion was killing her arms. The only blessing was that the lesson was for an hour. She understood their reasoning though. The more strength she had, the less it would waver when she swung it; thus making her acting more believable. Still, it was extremely difficult.

Kuon was no where to be found when it came time to find a caterer, but he sent his father her way. Once practice was over, Kyoko changed back to her normal clothes eager to spend time with her father. Coming out, she found Kuu talking to the sensei with enthusiasm. As she approached, she saw the young man shyly give a piece of paper and pen to Kuu. He smiled brightly, signed it, and then handed it back.

"I would love to spar with you if you have the time to, Hizuri-sama," Kyoko heard the young man ask with an eager voice.

"You would beat an old man like myself, but perhaps the next time my little girl is here practicing I might be able to spend a few minutes sparring with you, Takashi-san." Kuu patted the younger man on the shoulder and turned to Kyoko.

"There's my sweet daughter," he announced with a big grin, picked her up and hugged her, making her laugh.

"I would love to see you spar, father. We don't have to leave right away, if you want to do it now." Kuu put her down as she spoke.

He scratched his head with a nervous laugh. "I don't have my gi with me."

"It's no problem, sir. We can let you borrow one, brand new never been worn," Takashi said eagerly.

"Please father. Just one little spar. First point and it's over." The look on Kyoko's face reminded him so much of his son when he was little that Kuu didn't have the heart to say no. He nodded, and the man ran to get the fresh gi. They started to walk to the dojo which thankfully was empty.

"Kyoko, don't tell anyone if I lose alright?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, father. Did you not want do spar with him?" She was so innocent as she asked him.

"No, it's fine. I'm just rusty that's all. A spar is the real thing, and I haven't had a real fight in a while. Movie fighting is very different than real sparing. I always pull my punches and kicks. In a spar, you don't do that." When they reached the dojo, he pulled off his shoes and socks and started to stretch. The sensei came back with a packaged gi and handed it to Kuu with a bow. He showed him where to change and in moments, Kuu came out in a basic white gi.

Her sensei came up to him with gloves and head gear which Kuu slipped on without argument. Kyoko sat off to the side eagerly waiting. She was a little worried about Kuu now, but was still excited to see him spar. Thinking that others would like to see this if he wins, she took her cell phone out to record the video.

Kuu and Takashi both stretched for a bit longer, neither wanted to get injured in a friendly match. Finally, they walked to each other and bowed. Kyoko lifted her phone up and allowed it to record.

Takashi opened up with a right kick high to Kuu's head. Kuu wrapped his arm around his foot holding it in place and followed with a right straight punch to the face but missed. Takashi pulled his foot back, and Kuu let him go, following him as the younger man stepped back. Kuu continued with a few lefts and a right, and Takashi dodged them all. Kuu was aggressive as he aimed high with a right kick which Takashi blocked with his left arm high in the air.

Takashi pushed away his leg and returned one of his own to the middle and followed with a higher kick pushing Kuu back. He advanced making the same move again which was his mistake. Kuu dodged the high kick countering with a swift kick to Takashi's stomach giving him the first point.

Both stopped and bowed to each other, and then stood up and pulled off their head gear with big smiles. "I would very much like to continue sir," Takashi asked in all earnest.

Kuu shook his head. "I'm sorry. My daughter and I have an appointment to make, and we must be going. I thank you for taking care of her and allowing the use of the equipment."

Takashi bowed deeply. "It is my honor, Hizuri-sama."

Kyoko and Kuu said their goodbyes after he changed, and they left. "That was wonderful, father! You were a pro in there, dodging and matching everything he threw at you, and you won!" She cheered for him excitedly.

He was blushing. "It was luck. Takashi is very good. He made himself open doing the same attack twice. I think I might have put too much behind it though. I was worried about pulling my punches after I hit him with my left and he continued."

"You hit him?" She looked up at him confused. "When?"

"Right after he stepped back. I hit him with a left to the chin, but it didn't faze him. I think he thought it was a grazing blow, so it didn't count." He opened the door for her and went around to the driver's seat. Kyoko looked back, and there was a mountain of snack wrappers and empty bags. As soon as he sat down, she turned a glare at him.

"Father, did you save room for the caterers we have to see today?" He looked at her, and she pointed to the back.

He laughed. "You know your father better than that. What do you think?" He turned on the car.

"You're probably staving and then with the spar. I'm surprised I haven't heard your stomach growl yet." She reached into her bag and pulled out a few bags of snacks: wasabi peas and otsumami packs. "They won't last long but the ride to the restaurants shouldn't take long."

"Ah, I'm so happy my son is marrying you." He put the bag between his legs and started driving. He casually started popping the crunchy food into his mouth when he could.

Their trip had them sampling food from five different restaurants. All the places they visited served the same basic foods. They weren't looking for a specific type of food like only sushi or tempura. They had to serve a little bit of everything, from fish to pork and beef and vegetarian. There was going to be an open bar so drinks weren't an issue. They simply wanted good food for everyone to enjoy.

Well Kyoko sampled, Kuu ate whole dinners and desserts from each of them. Surprisingly, he was pickier than she was. When she acted as Kuon the first time she met him, he ate the most atrocious things. Then she tasted Julie's cooking, and Kyoko determined that he would eat anything and say it was good. Yet, when they went to each of the restaurants, he was this brilliant food critic. There was something wrong with almost everything.

The first place was Miyarabi's that had under seasoned, over cooked food. Next was Daikokuya with great entries, but they weren't very careful about their plating. Sakurasaku's fish was to die for but everything else was under cooked to the point of almost being inedible. The fourth restaurant was Kanhana where everything was over seasoned and obviously frozen and finally Takehito's. Kuu took one bite of one of their dishes and actually didn't eat it. He ate the others though.

By the end of the day, she felt like all was lost. These were the restaurants that Lory recommended, but Kuu didn't like any of them. She was also so full, the thought of dinner made her sick to her stomach. They returned to Kuon's condo around 7 that evening, both Julie and Kuon were there watching a movie. Kyoko was exhausted but Kuu was whistling happily. As soon as they came in, both the waiting parties came up and greeted them with warm smiles and sweet kisses.

"Did you find one? One that is still in business after father was done?" Kuon teased.

"Hey!" Kuu pouted and pretended to cry on Julie's shoulder.

"Well, I'm not sure. I…" Kyoko started and Kuu interrupted.

"I think we should go with Takehiko's place. Theirs was the best," he said without hesitation. Kyoko was taken aback. Kuon looked at her oddly, not understanding why she was flustered.

"But… but you didn't like any of them. You had nothing but bad things to say about all of them." She sat down on the couch flabbergasted.

"Oh, I was just pointing out some things. I thought their food was the best tasting and the best looking. They took great care in how it was cooked, and it was seasoned well. There was one dish they served that wasn't good, which I think was the texture of everything didn't go well together, but if we avoid that one the guest should be happy." He finished with a satisfied smile and waited for her reaction.

"Did you not like them?" He asked.

She shook her head. "No, I mean yes, I liked them. It was either Takehiko or Daikokuya. I thought both of their food was good."

"Well great. We can book Takehiko's for the wedding and Daikokuya for the rehearsal dinner, but no pork dishes. It was a crime to what they did to those pork dishes. The fish was great though. I would recommend nothing but fish dishes from Daikokuya."

It was settled. She called them that night since they were still open and spoke for about an hour about the details of the wedding and the rehearsal dinner. She wrote down everything. She would touch base with them again two months before the event to make sure everything was still in order. Then she was finally able to sit down and just relax. They all watched the movie together with it already in progress. Thankfully, it was something she had seen already, so she wasn't lost.

Julie and Kuu left after the movie was over. Kyoko walked back to the couch and sat down with a thought that wouldn't leave her.

Kuon joined her watching her for a moment and finally asked, "What's wrong? Are you not happy with the restaurant?"

She waved her hand in dismissal, "No, I like the restaurant. It's the way father was today that's bugging me. I can't help but wonder. Does he really like my food?"

An odd look covered his face. "What did he say?" Kyoko told him all of the different things he said, well the ones she could remember, and that he was very critical.

Kuon laughed. "He loves your cooking. He was only trying to help. Dad knows food because he's had so much of it. You were trying to choose between five places that are known for their food and service, so finding the worse parts about those places helped you eliminate them. Anything home cooked is better than any restaurant in the world according to dad. He will never say otherwise."

Kyoko thought about it for a moment and smiled. "Don't you feel the same way?"

He shook his head. "No. I don't. I don't think my mother's food is good at all, and she's always cooking. Nor do I think anything I cook would be edible. Yours on the other hand," he smiled and leaned in, "no one can compete with," then promptly kissed her.


	21. Wedding Cake

Chapter 21

It's now June. Kyoko started her guest appearance on Say Love. As expected, it was fairly easy to get into the role and even easier to work with Mimori. They pretty much ignored each other until it was time to act. Once they started, the heated chemistry between them had the director jumping for joy. She was a little ashamed that he started complimenting Kyoko, that the rumors were all true and what a wonderful actress she was, since the emotional seed between them was already there.

Still, they were happy, and Kyoko was happy to do another role. Rika was the name of the woman she was playing. The only thing that was really mean about her was that she wants to break up Mimori's character, Yori, and the hero, Hitoshi. Otherwise, Rika was smart, pretty and kind, which made Kyoko enjoy the character more. Some writers make villains easy to hate, such as Mio and Natsu, but the ones that try to make the villain a real person with different sides are the real gems. Rika showed sides of compassion and love, which make her difficult to hate, but she was simply in the wrong show. Yori is fated to be with Hitoshi, not Rika.

Now with Say Love, Red Ribbon and Midnight's Run fighting classes, Kyoko had even less time to plan for this month. It was exactly three months to the day before the wedding when Kuon and Kyoko found some time together but only for the morning. This afternoon, Kuon had to leave for a modeling shoot. Unfortunately for him, the schedule for the morning was more planning, not play. Kyoko sat down on the couch with a huge binder on her lap.

"What do we have to look at now," Kuon groaned as he sat down next to her. She flipped the binder open and inside was pictures of monstrous wedding cakes.

"Cakes. Takarada-san gave me the contact information of the bakery he uses for his parties, and they lent me this book," Kyoko replied to Kuon, who was looking at the book in horror.

"This was their small book too," she laughed as he closed his eyes in pain. "I told them the number of guests, and they handed me this one. They also gave me a list of all the flavors that we can pick from. We can schedule a tasting if we want to, but I didn't think I could get you to go to that, so I took the list." Kyoko took out a single sheet of paper and handed it to him.

"I'd go if you wanted me to," Kuon refuted. He really would go if she asked him to. He wouldn't like it but he would. She laughed and kissed his shoulder since that was all she could reach given the 25kg book in her lap.

"I know and thank you, but if we do a tasting, I'll take father again. Still, I want your opinion," Kyoko asked sweetly. He nodded and decided to get comfortable. Kuon moved his arm to wrap around Kyoko and took the book from her lap onto his own. He put the list of flavors down, and they read it together. The list was actually smaller than he thought. To make sure the customers don't create a weird flavor combination, they gave them a list of flavor combinations:

Vanilla sponge cake infused with vanilla syrup with raspberry preserves and vanilla butter cream frosting

Lemon blackberry cake with lemon syrup, lemon curd filling, fresh blackberry jam filling and lemon curd butter cream filling

Though some of the suggested flavors didn't sound too good either.

"Orange mocha cake? That doesn't sound good at all," Kuon grimaced. It was yellow cake made with orange zest, orange syrup, espresso ganache filling and orange butter cream icing.

Kyoko laughed. "Do any of them sound good to you?" She leaned forward to look at the sheet. His arm slipped down to her waist, and he pulled her over.

"I like the way you taste," he whispered slyly as he leaned in and started licking her neck and down to her shoulder. She laughed and pushed him away, or she tried to anyway. Kuon let himself be pushed back but as soon as she dropped her hand he returned to nibble her ear.

"Come on," Kyoko pleaded as he started nuzzling her hair.

"Look at the list," she demanded leaning away from him. He ignored her, slipped his hand under her blouse and pulled her back in.

"With the cake size we are getting, they said we can pick up to four different flavors," she explained but her voice, along with her will, was weakening. His hot hands gently touched her waist and slowly moved up her skin. His fingers slid smoothly towards her breasts as his lips found her neck again.

"All I'm asking is for you to pick one," she pleaded with him desperately. His kisses were sending little shivers down her body making her feel very good. Kuon slowly started to push her down onto the couch, the book slipping down making a heavy thump on the floor. His lips nibbled and licked across her collarbone making her shudder.

She dropped the sheet of paper when his lips found hers. His kisses were so intoxicating. They were soft and sensual yet hungry and so very intrusive. She could feel her face, her body, heat up every time his tongue swept inside of her mouth. It was a warm silky touch that she yearned for.

"Just one?" He asked, his lips tickling hers as he spoke. She nodded. Her hands were resting lightly on his chest. Kyoko didn't know if she was trying to push him away or bring him closer, but she could feel his heart beat below her palm. It was beating as fast as hers was.

Kuon pulled away and sat back on the couch taking the sheet of paper with him. She licked her lips, still able to taste him. She took a breath and forced herself back up. Looking down, she saw the book was almost broken with the careless treatment of it. _It's not like I cared about the book either, not with those lips on me._ She smiled and bent over to pick up the binder, sliding it back on their lap.

"This one looks good," Kuon spoke up. He, once again, put his arm around her allowing her to resting her head on his shoulder. Kyoko looked at his choice. It was a vanilla rum torte: vanilla cake sprinkled with spiced rum and layered with rum custard.

"Rum? You want alcohol in your wedding cake?" She asked and looked up at him incredibly.

He chuckled. "It's not a bad thing. You ever had a buche de noel?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"It's a Christmas cake from France," Kuon explained, "It's called a Christmas log or a Yule log. It's a rolled up sponge cake. The one I had, as a kid, was made with rum. Now would they give me, a kid, something like that if it was bad for me?"

She looked at him suspiciously, replying, "I don't know, maybe. You're a spoiled rich kid."

He laughed. "I'm going to tell mom and dad that you called them bad parents," Kuon threatened.

Kyoko paled and spoke in a panic, "No, no, no! I was just kidding. We'll get the rum cake." Kyoko's first thought was that two parents like his, who spoiled their child and thought him to be perfect, would give him whatever he wanted. If Kuu and Julie found out what Kyoko was thinking, they would start crying about what horrible parents they were. They were not horrible parents simply… overly generous.

Kuon laughed. "Besides that sounded like the least sweet combination there is. All the ones with fruit filling, I'm sure are loaded with sugar," he explained. Kyoko nodded and picked out the other flavors. She wanted to try and cover as much as possible. Vanilla was already chosen, so she picked the rich dark chocolate cake layered with Belgian chocolate ganache and bailey's cream, a lemon poppy seed cake with vanilla mousse filling and a carrot cake with cream cheese fillings with apricot preserves.

"Okay, where was I?" He said suddenly. He leaned in to capture her lips once again, but Kyoko ducked under and tapped on the huge book into their lap.

"The design," she declared. She showed him the first picture, and he groaned, hiding his face on her shoulder.

"Please, Kuon, I'm sorry, but we need to decide this. The sooner we tell them the more time they have to make it," Kyoko begged.

"We still have three months. They don't need three months to make a cake, right?" He complained. He couldn't imagine eating a three month old cake.

"I don't know how long they need, but wouldn't it be better to put in the request now and have it done and over with rather than the last minute, and then they won't have time to make it, because we didn't know, and then…" She was ranting. Kuon pressed his fingers to her lips.

"Okay. Okay. Let's pick one, and you can put in the request," Kuon caved. They spent the next two hour looking through all the pictures.

There were so many different types. Some were simple ones with lots of tiers that had simple to very elaborate decorations. One was almost as tall as her covered completely in edible white roses with small gold pearls in the center. There was a hideous one made of pink and blue with streamers and huge tacky flowers between each tier. Some were modern with funky shapes or designs.

She thought the cupcake one was fun. The whole cake looked whole until you started to "cut it". It was hundreds of little cupcakes that everyone was free to take.

"That really isn't suitable for the wedding we are having though," Kuon warned her. Everyone would most likely want a big extravagant traditional wedding cake, nothing childish like cupcakes.

"Okay, how about the individual cakes?" Kyoko suggested. Another option was to give everyone a small single-serving two tier cake of their choosing. They would be completely separate from each other and decorated the same style with different colors to separate the flavors.

"That would be nice if we had a set guest list. We have so many people coming with people that I know will be unannounced. Boss promised that they would have security for crashers, but there is only so much we can account for. What if someone didn't get one or if someone got two for themselves? Dad is going to eat at least five of those."

Okay, that was out. Kyoko didn't want to deal with policing the cake. After looking through the book twice, they settled on one, a fountain cake. It was a large three tier cake sitting on a four column platform. Two of the tiers were connected; one on top of the other with the third sitting on another set of shorter columns at the very top. Then there were smaller cakes that seemed to cascade down around the three-tier cake like steps.

In the center of it below the three main tiers was a cute little water fountain with a light that seemed to make the whole cake look enchanting. On each of the cakes were white roses in different stages of their development, strings of white pearls rounding the edges and a very light lace design that made up the sides. The picture had it on a round table with small white candles in glasses lit up all around it.

Kyoko called the bakery and made the request. He watched her pace back and forth with his head on his arms against the back of the couch. She smiled and nodded, answering whatever questions asked. She paused by him and smiled down at him, her hand lightly touching his face.

"Yes, that's fine. What time do you close?" She asked as he pulled her fingers to his lips and kissed each one of them.

"6. That's perfect. I can be there later today to drop off the deposit," she spoke on the phone trying to concentrate on the conversation and not on him. He continued to kiss her palm, down to her wrist. She lightly held his hand while he followed through to her arm.

"Yes," her voice was rather throaty. She coughed and continued in her normal voice, "The date is September 10th. Is that enough time?" Kuon tried to pull her down, but she glared at him and pulled her hand back. She ran her hand through his hair once and started pacing again.

"Wonderful. Thank you so much for doing this for us. Please call me if there is anything you need," she nodded again, "Thank you, Good bye." She hung up. Kyoko walked over to Kuon with a fake scowl.

"You are very distracting," she pointed her cell at him accusingly.

"Like you're one to talk," he retaliated. Kuon captured her waist, pulled her over the couch and into his lap causing her to cry out playfully.

"How am I supposed to find the time to learn my lines once we live together? How can I concentrate on my work if all I want to do is touch you," he caressed her cheek, "and kiss you," he kissed her nose, "if I want to spend every moment beside you." He kissed her sweet little lips and pulled away with a smile.

Kyoko smiled up at him, combing his hair back with her fingers. "I'll practice your lines with you exactly like we have been doing. Besides, there is no way you would let anyone distract you from your work. You're too much of a professional. Remember, even if a family member dies, you have to continue working," she said proudly, and his face fell into horror then a frightened sadness.

"I lied," he confessed, pulling her up and hugging her closely. "I could never work if I found out you died. There would be no way I could think or act or do anything if you left me."

Kyoko smiled, pleased by his words, and stroked his hair and down his back comfortingly. "I'd feel the same way," she hugged him tightly, "I love you," she whispered and kissed his cheek.

"I love you too," Kuon spoke softly and kissed her. The kiss felt very different, not the feeling of it, but the feeling behind it. It was desperate and fierce. His lips ravaged hers. She could hardly keep up. He squeezed her tightly, and she was gently pushed back onto the couch. He shifted, pulling his legs up to lay next to her. She slid her leg up his, the rough seam of his jeans scratching her thigh.

He pulled back to stop, but she had different ideas. She followed him up and started kissing up his jaw to his ear. Her hands slid down his back and around his waist. His shirt was tucked in, so she started to pull the soft fabric out. Kyoko bunched up the shirt in her hand until it finally gave. He moaned as her soft hands brushed hotly against his skin, her lips and tongue licking and sucking the flesh at his neck. His mind forgot the reason why he needed to stop and reached down to started kissing whatever skin of hers he found.

Her hand ran up the hard slab that made up his stomach and then around to his back. She pulled the shirt up as far as it would go, trying to feel more of him. For once he didn't do the same. Kuon kept his hand over her shirt, over her shorts, and Kyoko only felt his bare hand at her thigh towards her knee. He shifted against her making her moan as his thigh pressed against her where she was moist and oh so desperate.

Kyoko felt him pull away after she moaned. She smiled thinking he was taking off his shirt, so she did the same. Before he could blink, her shirt was off and on the floor, the baby blue bra filling his vision. His hand curled at her stomach, his knuckles grazing against her soft skin. He watched his hand move up to her ribs, slowly turning to his fingertips and finally his palm reached her breast. She arched her back against him with a sigh, eager to feel his touch. He slipped his hand under her bra spilling her breast into his hand causing her to whimper as he kneaded her sensitive flesh.

Kuon leaned down and kissed her chest slightly above her pushed up bra. He dipped his other hand behind her and unsnapped the offensive undergarment. He slid the strap down her arm, and she finished it off by pulling her arm out. He moved it away from his prize and took her aroused peak into his mouth. She gasped lightly, pushing her hips against his thigh. He looked up at her. Her face was flushed red, her eyes closed, and she was panting so erotically. He lapped her breast and forced the swelling flesh into his mouth making her moan and thrust against him again.

He let go of her tip and smiled at her. His hand reached down and unsnapped the button on her shorts. Feeling his intentions, Kyoko unwrapped her leg from his and lifted her hips up so he may pull down her shorts, but he didn't. Kuon slipped his fingers into her dark curls and down to the slippery entrance making her jerk at the sudden rush of pleasure. She lowered her hips, confused by his actions or lack there of. She looked up at him, and he still had his shirt on. It didn't fall back over him completely, but it looked like he had no intention of joining her.

"Wait…" she breathed, but it didn't sound like a word. His fingers slipped over her folds and inside of her. She thrust against him, her back arching as he twisted and moved his fingers inside of her.

"Wait..." Kyoko said in a slightly stronger whisper. Her hands moved to his arm, the muscle he was using to please her flexing slightly. He slipped out, his fingers drenched and slid over to circle and tease her clit. She shuddered uncontrollably as he finally caressed it. She turned her head towards his left arm resting under her and bit down gently, her breath hot, fast and hard against his skin. It grew dark as he leaned in and started kissing her skin, his fingers still driving her to the edge of madness.

She turned her head towards his and whispered, "Wait…." She moaned again. He pulled up and looked at her puzzled.

"Why?" He asked her in a deep, soft voice. Kuon's busy fingers didn't stop but slowed down, and she was able to think again. She pulled at his arm and shuddered as his wet fingers touched her eager little bud.

"What's wrong?" He asked again and removed his hand.

"Nothing. I…" She licked her lips and looked up at him, "I just want more. Let's go to the bedroom," she smiled at him, "I'm ready. I want this. I want you, please," she pleaded with this sexy little pout.

A look of concern and something like sadness was on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, "But…."

She put her hand on his mouth before he could say no. "Please. You don't even need to worry about protection. I'm on birth control, so you see I've been getting ready. I really want to do this."

He frowned, his forehead wrinkling. "You are? Since when? Why didn't you tell me?" He asked as he sat up. Kyoko's smile disappeared. Was he angry? Why was he angry?

She pushed herself up, taking her legs from his lap and tucked them under her. "Don't be mad." She saw her shirt and lifted it to cover her chest. "I got it about a month ago with mother, and I sort of forgot about it. Things got really busy, and we really haven't been alone for the subject to come up. I thought…." Her voice died.

"You thought what?" His voice was soft, but he didn't understand why she kept it from him.

"I thought if I told you and still wasn't able to…" she paused, "you know, make love to you that would be cruel, like I'm teasing you."

Kuon laughed. "Kyoko, I've had protection for us for a long time. I will say in hopes that you would say yes. Having you on birth control is no different than before, it just takes the worry off of me." His laughter died down to a big smile. After a moment, his smiling face turned into one of curiously.

"You said you forgot about it? What are you on that let's you forget about it?" He asked curiously.

Kyoko stretched out her arm with a smile. "I forgot what it's called, but they put this little stick in my arm. Right here." She put her finger over the spot where the stick is. Normally, she couldn't feel it; in fact, her feeling it now was probably just in her head. Her face peered at it closely.

"I think you can see a small mark where they put it in too." She moved away and tried to show him. There was this very tiny dot on her skin too small to really notice. It could be a freckle to anyone looking.

She put her arm down and smiled cheerily at him. "It lasts for three years and they can take it out if we want children sooner."

He looked at her a little stunned. "I never heard of it before." his eyes went back to her face, "and you are okay?" He asked concerned.

She nodded. "I haven't felt any changes, but it's only been a month. The doctor said if three months pass without any issues then there will be no side effects for the three years."

He snorted and shook his head. "I would have liked to have been apart of that conversation, but it doesn't matter." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Sorry. It wasn't something I wanted to talk about so I didn't think you would either. Mother just started asking and one thing lead to another…." Her voice drifted off. Kuon nodded knowing his mother all to well. Kyoko felt a chill run across her skin at the lack of her fiancée's warmth, and she bit her lip.

"So do you want to go try it out?" She said cutely making Kuon chuckle. She let her shirt drop to her lap. She leaned forward with a sly smile. Her lips pressed a feathery kiss on his. He didn't response at first, and she lifted her gaze to his. His eyes were dark, and she smiled. Kyoko captured his mouth with a hungry urgency and his hands gripped her waist. Her tongue snaked out tickling his lips. Kuon parted them letting her swept into his mouth seeking his seductive touch.

His hands remained at her waist tightly not letting her get any closer than where she was now, but that was fine. That allowed her hands to move freely. She slid her hand down from his shoulder to his chest. Kyoko tried to distract him with her kisses as her hands crept closer to their goal. Her fingers slid over his hard abs and found his shirt bunched over his jeans. She lifted the shirt and caressed his burning skin making him tremble slightly. Her fingers found the little button that held him in and undid it then slowly pulled down the zipper.

His eyes few open as her fingertips caressed him through his cloth underwear, and Kuon forced her back, his hands pulling hers away from him. She smiled mischievously at him as her chest rose and fell tantalizingly from her heavy breathing.

"Kyoko, I can't."

"Why?" Kyoko purred. She sat up and his grip loosened. She lifted her leg to straddle over him. Her shorts were still undone, making his mind go blank and only thinking of her. He watched the love of his life slowly lift his shirt allowing her to slip her hands over his skin. She moved in closer as her hands rose up over his stomach and chest. She curved her fingers in, scratching him lightly making him growl softly. Kuon lifted his arms up, and she pulled his shirt off. Her smile widened hearing him groan as she moved her hips directly over him. She lifted herself down slightly and then gently rubbed herself up against him again. He gasped, throwing his head back, his eyes closing.

She leaned in and licked his neck, pressing her bare breasts against the solid wall of his chest. She kept moving her hips, rubbing against him in small gentle strokes. His hands moved from the couch to her thighs and lightly held on to her hips. Kyoko nibbled her way up to his ear and lightly tugged on it. She gasped as his hands moved up her back sending shivers along her skin.

"Take me," she whispered into his ear. His hands curled into claws and scratched up her back. "Take me to the bedroom," she breathed seductively. He hooked his right hand on her shoulder and the other fell to her waist holding her tightly against him. "Kuon, take me." She licked his ear. He roughly sunk his hand into her hair and pulled her head back. His tongue plunged into her mouth roughly. She moaned and rocked her hips against him, eager to feel him inside of her.

A small sound filled the room, and Kyoko couldn't place it. Her body had taken over her mind but she somehow knew little sound shouldn't be there. Kuon, on the other hand, knew what that sound was and groaned from frustration. He pulled away and loosened his grip on her. He nuzzled her breast with his face and licked each one before taking one into his mouth.

"It's your phone," she said suddenly in surprise. She just figured it out.

Kuon nodded. "I've been trying to tell you. I have to go to my shoot," he spoke to her left breast, tickling her with his lips around her nipple

"Oh…" she said sadly. "Oh…" she said again as the words he said started to sink in. "OH!" She jumped off of him as she saw the time. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't thinking. You need to hurry!" She wasn't even thinking of herself as she picked up his shirt from the floor topless. She bunched it up and slipped it over his head and he went from lust to laughter as she fretted over him. One thing he never wanted to see her do was button up his jeans while she half dress. She looked at him and gave him an impatient look.

"Hurry up!" Kyoko yelled at him and bent down to pick up her clothes. He chuckled and pulled her back into his lap.

"Kuon! You don't have time for…" Kuon kissed her soundly then stood up with her in his arms. He set her down, his hands taking liberties with her naked flesh, making her blush. He stepped around her and pulled his arms through his shirt. Kyoko followed suit, putting her bra back on and then pulling her shirt over her head. She followed him to the door. He ran his hand through his hair and then stopped to put his shoes on.

Grabbing his keys, he turned to Kyoko, who was sadly fully dressed now, and grabbed her around her waist. "I love you." He picked her up and kissed her again. He pulled away leaving her in a daze and left before she could say the same.


	22. Pride

Chapter 22

Kyoko blinked.

It was now August, and she is scrambling with almost everyone at a large table writing out the addresses for the wedding. The only people not doing this were the Sasaki's, Kuu, and Maria. Yes, even Lory was here helping out. In fact, they were all at his mansion. Maria wanted to help, but everyone agreed that her studies came first.

"MO! Why didn't you just print out damn stickers with everyone's addresses! Writing out 500 different addresses is ridiculous!" Kanae shook her hand trying to get rid of the cramp in it.

"Now, now, Kyoko-chan is right. It looks much better this way, and it's not so bad, simply take it slow," Yukihito, who was sitting right next to Kanae, supported Kyoko's desire.

"That's because you are so use to writing everything down, because of your freaky short circuit powers," Kanae grumbled trying to hide her blush. Julie kicked Kanae's chair and glared at her. Her blush got darker. "But you have very nice handwriting, Yashiro-san," Kanae said through clenched teeth. Julie made them sit right next to each other and share a set of items to assemble their pile of the invitations. They had to write the address, put a few of each multicolored silk leaves in the invitation so that they…

"Fall into their laps as a delightful surprise when they open it," Kanae mouthed sarcastically. Then they sealed the envelope with a little water bottle sealer and put a little burnt gold foil sticker on the back as an official seal. To say that Kanae and Yukihito's hands bumped every few minutes was an understatement. Of course, she couldn't reach into another group's box since Lory's table was the size of a damn basketball court.

She did notice a few things though. Yukihito's hands were remarkably soft but still rather strong. He also didn't seem to mind the little touches, granted not as much as the sickening in-love couple sitting a little bit away. Lastly, he was really cute in normal clothes, though he always looked handsome. It's that Kanae couldn't remember the last time she saw him out of a suit. He was wearing jeans with a tee tucked in and a light gray throw over, both short sleeved. She couldn't help the way her eyes kept flickering to his bicep every time he moved to get the silly leaves, the muscle flexing slightly.

"I'm sorry, Moko, but with everyone here, we shouldn't be at this for very long," Kyoko said feeling guilty at her request. Kanae flushed lightly getting called out of the distraction beside her. She glared at the invitation trying to hide the embarrassment shown in her face.

"Don't worry about Kanae-chan. This is totally worth the effort. I love the invitations you picked out. They are gorgeous," Chiori exclaimed as she applied the stamp at the top corner and starting a new invitation. She was working with ever silent Sebastian at her side.

"I agree but getting the leaves to pop out of the invitation would have made a bigger impact." Lory pouted as his earlier idea was denied.

Julie smacked his hand just before reaching into their box. Lory glared but continued writing. She looked at Kyoko. "These are wonderful, sweetie, everything about them is perfect." She sent a comforting smile to her daughter.

"The least we can do is have them all delivered by trained owls. I know a perfect place to get them, we can…" Lory started but was soon interrupted.

"No," Kuon spoke out as he stuffed an envelope.

"They can be hand delivered by a group of singing…"

"No."

"…Acrobatic dancers that come down from a helicopter?" Everyone looked up and saw Lory with a sad puppy dog face. It was almost touching and Kyoko opened her mouth to speak. Kuon noticing her reaction placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed lightly. She gave him a small smile.

"No," Kuon said in the same nonchalant tone. "They will go out in the mail like normal invitations."

"You are still coordinating all of the entertainment. You got to do lots with that and everyone will love it!" Kyoko tried to cheer him up, and it worked wonderfully. Lory started ranting and raving about all the different things that he booked, all under the strict approval of Kuon that is. They finished rather quickly even if it did take eight people to do so and they started cleaning things up. They put everything into cardboard trays to be carried out to the post office. Everyone was equally pleased that the task was done.

Kanae stretched her arms over her head. "I would have rather been at the cake sampling than this. For my wedding, I am getting everything printed and done by someone else."

Julie smiled knowingly. "Well, Kanae-chan, when you have your wedding, we would be happy to help with whatever you want to do. Whenever that may be…" She grinned.

Yukihito coughed. "Why is your mother looking at me?" He quietly asked Kuon. Kyoko giggled softly and Kuon shook his head.

"You don't want to know," he told his friend and then turned to Kyoko and spoke, "We are going to go drop theses off at the post office. We'll be right back." She nodded with a smile, and they kissed briefly. Both men started to stack the invitations up to carry out to the car.

"Kanae-chan, help them out," Julie whispered to her and Kanae glared back at her. In all honestly, she wanted to tell Julie to butt out, but she was afraid of what the pushy woman would do if she did. Right now, she was dropping little hints and making her be around Yukihito. She didn't mind that part. She very much enjoyed being able to see him more, but if she told her to go away… Kanae shuddered. No doubt she would find herself locked in a room with him in her underwear.

Kanae smiled brightly at Julie and put her hands on a third stack of invitations. "I would be happy to," she said with mock enthusiasm.

Kyoko bounced up. "I'll help to!" She tried to get a stack but Sebastian beat her to it. "Then I'll get the door…" She pouted but walked with him.

Kanae grunted to lift the box, and Yukihito came up to her. "I'll get that for you." She felt his hands slide over hers and the weight of the boxes start to ease.

She flushed red at his touch causing her jerked away from him. "Mo! I got it!" She yelled and stormed off with the two boxes in hand. Yukihito was left standing with empty hands and a very confused expression.

Julie came up to him easily giving him four boxes of invitations without breaking a sweat. "Here you go Yukihito-kun," She smiled brightly at him and then leaned in whispering, "don't give up!" Then she winked at him.

The two young girls waved the two men off. Once the car was out of site, Kanae turned to Kyoko. "What do I have to do to get your mother off my back?"

Kyoko smiled. "Date Yukihito-san."

Kanae groaned as they turned back, "What if I got another boyfriend? I bet I can get someone to pretend to date me until she leaves." They walked back as she thought about it.

Kyoko shook her head. "She would run that man through the ringer, which would probably drive him away and she would make you do something with Yukihito."

Kanae sighed. "What if I let her call me Moko too?"

"If she wanted to call you Moko, she simply would. She calls me sweetie all the time," she said with a smile, granted Kyoko thought that was cute.

"Yes, but you are marrying her son. You are family, so that is normal," Kanae said. They made it into one of the living rooms and sat down.

"I'm sorry she's doing this to you, Moko. I'll see if I can get her to stop." Kyoko put her head on Kanae's shoulder, and Kanae instinctively leaned her head on Kyoko's. A few moments past in the silent comfort of her best friend and then she realized what was happening.

"Mo! Get off!" She shrugged her shoulder roughly making Kyoko tilt away from her. Kyoko laughed. She was too use to Kanae's coldish treatment of her. Kanae crossed her arms. "Besides, I've said it before. There is nothing between us," Kanae huffed.

"You're being stubborn. You don't see the way he looks at you." Julie sashayed in with three water bottles in hand. "And I saw the way you kept looking at him," she teased as she handed a bottle to each of them.

Kyoko was surprised to see Kanae flush bright red and sneer, "I was not looking at him!"

"I never saw her looking at him either," Kyoko helped to defend her friend.

Julie laughed. "That's because you are in your own little world with my precious son which I can understand and am very happy to see." She smirked.

Kyoko blushed. "Sorry. I don't mean to." She turned her head back to Julie determined. "Nevertheless, mother you need to stop harassing Moko about Yukihito. If she doesn't want to date him, she shouldn't have to."

"But she does. She's only afraid he doesn't feel the same." Julie took a drink of her water not looking at the two girls. "Which is sad. I always thought that you had more of a spine, more confidence. You are so good at chasing your dreams. Yet, you only work hard on things you are sure of," Julie sounded disappointed in Kanae and the more she spoke, the more Kanae got angrier till finally she snapped.

"EXCUSE ME!" She stood up and stormed over to Julie's seat. If Julie was worried or afraid, she didn't show it. "I worked damn hard to get where I am today. I didn't have money or family that could help pull me into this career. I had Nothing around me that made me sure of my choices."

"She's right. She thought about quitting once," Kyoko spoke up. "It was when we were auditioning for our first commercial."

"Thank you!" Kanae yelled at Kyoko angrily but she actually did mean it. "You can't tell me that I don't have a spine, and I sweat and breathe confidence."

Julie looked bored and shrugged one shoulder up. "If you say so," she dismissed her claim. That's when the boys got back. Kanae was glaring at Julie vibrating with rage while Julie looked at her perfect manicured nails as if something was wrong with them.

"Is everything okay here?" Kuon asked cautiously as he entered the room. He walked up to Kyoko, who was sitting on the couch trying to figure out what to do or say.

"Everything is fine," Kanae growled. "I was just on my way out." She turned on her heel.

Kyoko jumped up and took her hand making her stop. "She didn't mean it, Moko."

"Yes, I did. I wouldn't say it otherwise," Julie sang in a teasing manner.

"What's going on?" Kuon asked assertively.

"Nothing, just a little girl talk," his mother said, and Kanae turned slightly to glare at her.

"No spine…" she whispered and looked at Yukihito, who was standing out of harm's way or so he thought. She slipped out of Kyoko's grip and stormed over to him. He took a step back, his eyes wide with fear, but she was too quick. Kanae sunk her hands into his open buttoned shirt making him straightened up in shock. She ran her hands up his back towards his shoulders making him lean down. She kissed his lips with the raw passion she's felt for him for a while now. After getting over the shock of it, Yukihito returned the kiss full force, closing his eyes and sinking his fingers into her black ink hair.

She broke the kiss breathing heavily, stepped back and grabbed the front of his shirt. "Let's go. We're going on a date," she ordered and started walking out pulling Yukihito along.

"I'll see you later!" He yelled out with a very big smile on his lips. Everyone stayed silent until they heard the door slam closed.

"What did you do, mom?" Kuon threatened.

Julie laughed and stood up. "Nothing!" She batted her eyes innocently. "I merely pushed her a little." She started to walk out. "That girl is stubborn and with that comes pride. She always went after what she wanted, so I couldn't understand why not Yukihito as well." She paused at the door. "After all, she sort of reminds me of myself." She smiled and left.

Kuon looked down at Kyoko, and she was lost in thought, "Mother and Kanae the same," she asked, and then smiled. "Does that mean when Moko falls in love, she will let me hug her freely?" She turned up to Kuon and asked him hopefully.

He snorted, sat down next to her and replied, "I wouldn't count on it." Kyoko sighed. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out an extremely worn out folded piece of paper. He recognized it right away. It was the wedding checklist. She had simplified everything that everyone was telling her was required for the wedding, including that big white _My Wedding_ book Julie gave her, and made a very small printed list that she could carry around.

"Well, invitations are done," Kyoko sighed. She looked at all the little checks and notes she had written on it. This wedding was costing a small fortune, but it was okay. She was only going to do this once. _Don't think about the money. _She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath.

"The hard part is almost over," Kuon said softly as he hugged her. She nodded. They had six weeks left before the wedding with more than half the list completed or in the process of being completed. Thanks to everyone, it was. She was hearing horror stories from various shops she visited. How the groom did nothing to help. How the families were completely disagreeable with everything. The in-laws were horrible people that tried to sabotage certain aspects of the wedding, the fear of certain guests coming to the party.

That one she could understand. She made an invitation she wasn't sure she wanted to send. She didn't know what convinced her to write one out to him. They haven't spoken together since the confrontation at Shoko's office. She didn't really think of him much since then. He did pick up a new singer for his duet, and Kyoko saw the advertisement for it. As expected, it became his new number one hit.

She shook her head and looked at the list. She bought a book for the gift diary though nothing has been sent to them. She didn't understand why anyone would send a gift this early but she got one anyway. They had an appointment to see the priest performing the ceremony next week to discuss any last minute details. Gifts to the guests were already picked. Julie and Lory had loads of fun with that one.

"Is the rehearsal already booked?" She asked out loud. So much was flooding through her head; she was starting to forget things.

"Yes," he said softly, "for August 20th. The temple has been booked and the dinner after has already been confirmed." He ran his fingers through her hair gently. She leaned up against him smiling softly.

"I have the final fitting for the two main dresses the day before that," she reported. Kyoko was mad jealous that everyone had their attire completed and ready to go for the wedding, yet she still had fittings for hers. They assured her everything would be done though.

"Bridal portrait setting. What is that?" She asked Kuon. They had a professional photographer coming in to do a special shoot of the wedding party. They actually got this world class photographer that did a lot of modeling shoots to come in and take pictures. Kyoko swore it was like they were going to do a real job with the way this guy acted. He was disappointed that they weren't going to publish the work, but he was a friend of Lory and the family and more than happy to do it.

"It's a formal picture of the bride usually in her wedding dress that is taken before the wedding. Most people give them out to their guest or for your wedding album. It's optional," Kuon explained.

"You're not in it?" She asked him.

"It's up to you. This says bride only."

She frowned. "What's the point of having a picture of only me? It's our wedding. You should be in it too."

He smiled. "Then I'll be in it. Does that mean you want to do it?"

"Does that mean we don't have to take pictures after the ceremony?"

He shook his head. "No. That's different. Those are group pictures with the family with the ceremony setting and such."

She groaned. "Then what's the point? No. Let's not do that." She frowned not able to mark the paper. She looked around the room and found a phone with a notepad next to it. Kyoko stood up and took the pen sitting there and returned to sit next to Kuon. She marked off the invitations and crossed out the bridal pictures. She had to spend three hours between the wedding and the reception taking pictures with the photographer. She was already going to the salon at 5 am to do her make-up and dress her up in the shiromuku to make it in time for the wedding ceremony. No way was she going to do it twice.

"That's fine," Kuon whispered and returned to petting her again. She snuggled in closer to him which he as more than happy to make room for. She made a content sound as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I still need to call the baker and ask about the cake and the caterers for the food." She yawned. "Then the florist had a question about the centerpieces for the main table. Takarada-san gave me a list of music for the wedding so we can choose which one we should dance to," her voice was growing softer and softer.

"We also need to apply for the marriage license," she added. Her hand started to drift off as did her eyes.

"We'll get that all done. I promise," he whispered and kissed her softly as she fell asleep.


	23. Bachelorette Party

**Reminder: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Chapter 23

_Saturday, 7am_

It was exactly one month away from the wedding. Kyoko had today and half of tomorrow off, and she was going to run around town checking with all the venders for the wedding. She's going to have lunch with Kuon and go back out to some travel agencies to help plan the honeymoon.

She had so much to do, but the first thing on her list was sleeping in. She's been sleeping as much as she can when she can recently. With the harder training lessons for Midnight's Run, the interviews from doing the guest appearance on Say Love, the scripts she recently received for Jewel in the Palace and, of course, the wedding plans, Kyoko has been running ragged. Kuon has been as well, bless his soul. Julie seemed to get more energy the closer the date got and Kanae has also made herself more available to the cause as well.

"I can't leave you along with this manipulator," Kanae whispered softly to Kyoko one day. Apparently, after a short rant and explanation, the first date with Yukihito went rather well. From what Kanae said, they simply had a meal together and talked. Never mind the blush that appeared on her face after she said that. Julie having accomplished her goal, never spoke of it or the conversation they had, which was all well and good.

The sun was barely streaming into Kyoko's second story room when suddenly there was a very loud crash as her door was slammed open, jerking the poor girl awake.

"GOOD MORNING!" Several voices screamed out and before Kyoko could comprehend what was going on she was wrapped up in her futon by several pairs of hands.

"Quick, grab her feet." She recognized Julie's voice. "Chiori-chan grab her some clothes. Anything will do, she won't be wearing them for long."

"MOTHER!" Kyoko tried to scream out, but they ignored her.

"I got it! I got her purse too," Chiori called out.

"She doesn't need that. Leave her cell phone here too," Kanae spoke this time. Kyoko started to squirm violently.

"MOKO! PUT ME DOWN!" Kyoko yelled out.

Julie laughed. "She is on my side today, sweetie." Kyoko felt herself be tilted down as they descended the stairs. She stopped moving since she didn't want to hurt them or herself going down the stairs. Even while being kidnapped, she was thinking of them.

"Ai-san, get the door," Julie said. Ai-san? The Okami-san was in on it too? Kyoko felt the sweltering heat surround her as they carried her out still wrapped in her futon. They were laughing as she was finally put down. She heard a car door slam and the world suddenly lurched forward. Now that they let her go, she wiggled to get free and finally popped her head out.

"What are you doing!" She yelled. Kyoko looked around and saw Julie, Kanae, Chiori and Ai sitting in the back of a long stretch limo.

"We are kidnapping you, of course," Julie said nonchalantly.

"Why?" She asked the obvious question.

Chiori was bouncing in her seat. "It's your bachelorette party!"

"My what?"

"Oh come on now. Your bachelorette party - a party where you go have fun with the girls shopping and drinking and looking at male strippers," Julie answered and everyone turned to her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

Ai was the first to speak, "We aren't really doing that." She laughed nervously and slowly stopped with a worried look. "Right, Julie-chan?"

She sighed disappointedly. "I guess not. Well we can do the other stuff."

Kyoko pulled her arms out from the futon, sweating like crazy. "You could have at least let me get dressed. I'm going to need a shower after this."

"Chiori-chan has some clothes so you can get dressed on the plane," Julie spoke and Chiori lifted the clothes in her arms.

"The plane?" Kanae started, "I thought we were staying in town."

Julie turned towards Kanae. "Oh you meant in town? I thought you meant in the country. Well, LME's private jet is already gassed up and ready to go. We are only going to Hokkaido."

All the girls breathed a sigh of relieve, even if they were going on a plane. The drive to the airport was short, and Julie spoke of their plans. It was an overnight trip, and they would be back before Kyoko's shoot the next day. It involved shopping, a little dancing or karaoke, luxury meals and spa treatments with dips into the hot springs and, finally, breakfast the next day and back home. Julie reserved everything with Kanae's help including what shops and restaurants they were going to. The only thing that was left up to Kyoko was the spa treatments and how long they wanted to stay out. She was a little curious if she really would have that option.

The plane was ready for them as Julie stated, and it was off the ground as soon as they walked into the cabin. Kyoko took her clothes from Chiori and got dressed. Julie did her hair, and Kanae put some light make-up on her. Two hours later, they were in Hokkaido with another limo waiting for them. Ai remained silent the whole time enjoying the trip.

"Are you okay, Okami-san?" Kyoko asked worried.

"Yes," she replied with a smile. "I'm actually very excited. I admit I was a bit nervous when Julie-chan asked me to come with. I tried to decline, but she insisted on it. I hope I'm not in the way."

"Not at all," Kyoko exclaimed. "I'm very happy to have you here. The Taisho was okay with you leaving?"

The older woman nodded. "Yes, he said to enjoy myself. We closed the shop today, so there is nothing to worry about."

Kyoko frowned. "I'm sorry you had to close the shop. What is the Taisho going to do today?"

"Oh well, he was invited to join the bachelor party for Hizuri-san, though they told me that was going to start much later than this one," Ai paused, "I suppose he will just watch the news until they come to pick him up."

Kyoko blinked. "Kuon's having a bachelor party?"

"Yup! Kuu and Yukihito have been planning this for weeks now. I doubt any of them will be sleeping tonight," Julie answered with a grin as they piled into the limo.

"What are they going to do? Surely not the same thing as us?" Kyoko asked timidly.

"A little. They are going to a really nice place to eat, but after that they will probably go to Kabukicho," Julie answered making Kyoko paled. Kabukicho was the red-light district in Tokyo.

"Julie!" Kanae yelled at her, the only one who was brave enough to call her first name without an honorific, "They are not going there." She put an arm around Kyoko, "They are not going there, Kyoko. For one, it's way too dangerous, and two you know Kuon doesn't like that sort of thing. I'm certain that Yukihito doesn't either."

"Hmm…" Julie interrupted, "I could have sworn I heard," she paused, "Oh, what was his name, Hideki? Hideo?"

"Hidehito? Kijima Hidehito?" Kanae asked carefully.

"Yes!" Julie exclaimed, "Him. I heard him talking about going there with Kuu."

"Why the hell is he going to the bachelor party!" Kanae screamed out arguing with Julie about Kijima while wild thoughts crossed through Kyoko's mind. _He's going to Kabukicho. He's going to go see all those pretty girls strip in front of him. They are going to touch him with their big breast and full bodies. _She looked at her plain shapeless body. _He's going to see what he will be missing and then leave me at the altar. I should have had sex with him sooner. He's been waiting for so long, and now he is going to a whore house. I bet they won't even charge him. I'm going to lose him forever! _She started to cry.

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID!" Kanae screamed out and everyone looked at Kyoko who was crying silent tears.

"What I did? Kyoko, what's the matter?" Julie asked softly filled with concern.

Kyoko hiccupped. "He's going to leave me at the altar," she sobbed softly.

Julie laughed softly. "Oh sweetie, he isn't going to leave you. He loves you. Why would you think that?"

"Because I haven't slept with him yet," she cried, "I was going to, but he had to go, and then we couldn't find time together, and we still haven't, and now he is going to Kabukicho with all those beautiful naked women, and he's so handsome. I wanted to! I really did want to, but things got in the way!"

Julie shook her head angrily. "Is this really what you think my son is like? That he is just going to cheat on you the first moment he doesn't get sex?" She pulled out a phone. "My goodness, I'm happy I found out this before the wedding."

"Huh? Wait, what are you doing?" Kyoko asked, suddenly very afraid.

"I'm calling Kuu and Lory up to cancel the wedding."

"What? Wait!" Kyoko pulled down her arm. "Why?"

Julie turned her gaze at Kyoko. "Because you don't have faith in him. You obviously don't trust him enough to keep his dick in his pants just because a woman throws herself at him." Everyone shifted uncomfortably at her language. "You do not deserve to marry my son, Mogami-san."

Kyoko her blood run cold and tears started to stream down her face. "No! I'm sorry! I trust him. I do. I just…."

Julie closed her phone and waited, "Just what?"

"I don't trust myself to keep him happy in that department," She whispered shyly, her tears finally stopping.

Julie and Ai both laughed making the three sweet younger girls look at them baffled. Ai was the one who answered this one, "Kyoko-chan, do you find him attractive?"

"Yes," she answered quickly.

"Do you want to please him?" Ai asked again.

Kyoko blushed. "Yes," she said softly.

"Then you will do so. You work yourself to the bone in everything you do, school work, acting, even helping us out at the restaurant. He loves you. We all see that every time he looks at you. If you put in a tenth of the effort for him, that you do in everything else, he would be a very happy man." Kyoko couldn't stop blushing as the Okami-san spoke about sex. She put it in very sweet terms, but the subject was till the same.

"I do try my best," Kyoko said softly making Julie and Ai smile.

"We need to get you some confidence," Julie hollered. "Come on. Today, we all become new women!" She opened the door. No one but her even noticed that the limo had stopped at their destination.

It was 9AM when they arrived at their first stop, the hotel/onsen/spa/everything called Tokachigawa. It was three stories with a lot of windows and sliding doors. The place screamed resort, and the four ladies all gawked in awe while Julie just started walking in. They were immediately greeted by a greeter.

"Welcome to Tokochigawa, Hizuri-sama," the man bowed down to them as he spoke. Of course they would recognize her right away. "Your rooms are ready for you. Your bags will be there shortly. If you would please follow me, I will escort you ladies to your room."

"No, thank you. Please take us to the spa. We need to freshen up after our trip and please have our limo out for us after we are done. There are no bags to speak of, but there will be soon," Julie spoke as if she owned the place.

"Yes, madam, this way please." The usher lead the way to a set of glass doors. Julie barked out requests that sounded more like orders left and right. She ordered a manicure and a pedicure along with hair and make-up for each and every one of them. She also had them bring in breakfast for them as well. There was coffee, tea or juice, basic fruit, cheeses, bread, along with some pastries and other easy to eat items while a team of cosmetologist fixed them up.

All four girls were in high heaven with Julie completely used to it, Kanae acting like she was used to it, and Ai, Kyoko and Chiori in slightly flushed from all the attention. They did their hair first, wash and styled and even refreshed the color in Kyoko's hair. Then they did their hands and feet at the same time, most of the women getting a color. Kyoko was told not to though. Her nails would be done up just before the wedding. Make-up was done last. It took about two hours for everything to be complete and only because they had a different person for each task for each of the women.

"Ahhh, I should do that every week," Kanae sighed happily.

Chiori laughed. "Yeah, first ask them how much all that cost."

"Now ladies, no talking of money. I swear, it's no wonder you three are friends. All you girls worry about is money. You are actresses. Get used to spending it. Just like what we are going to do now." Julie grinned and they left to the limo. No one but Julie knew where they were going, but they found themselves at very expensive clothing shop.

"Are they open? I don't see anyone shopping in here," Kyoko asked as she peered through the darken glass.

"Yes," Julie said. "They are open. I reserved the whole store for this afternoon."

"WHAT!" All three girls yelled out stunned.

"What, what? I reserved the store, that way we can do what we pleased without having to wait or worry about anything. Come on. Let's have some fun!" Julie opened the door and three saleswomen immediately came up with huge smiles on their faces.

"You must be the Hizuri party! Welcome, Welcome! We have everything ready for you including the selections of dresses, shoes and lingerie," the eldest of the three spoke, perhaps the manager? They were shone into a large circular room with dressing rooms setup in a circle around them. Each door had a large mirror facing inward. There were three couches that faced each other and a small platform in the middle.

"This looks like a stage," Chiori whispered to Kyoko, "as if they prepared this just for us."

"They did," Julie overheard and answered.

"Well there you go," Kanae replied.

"Aright, ladies! Who's first!" Julie turned to the four women and no one spoke up. She pouted. "Come on! Where is your excitement? Ai-san, let's have you start it off." Julie took Ai's arm and dragged her out. The girls watched as Julie pulled off clothing from hangers and put them in the stunned woman's arms. They returned and Julie put Ai into a dressing room.

Ten minutes later, Julie dragged her out blushing. She wore a turquoise dress with a little belt high on her waist. It was almost sleeveless with a modest v-neck cut and the skirt going to her knees. She wore a modest heel that matched perfectly. The three girls whistled and clapped at how beautiful she looked, which only made her blush more. They had her try on four more outfits, each time she looked equally beautiful until she called it quits. Then Chiori bounced up wanting a turn.

"You looked beautiful, Okami-san!" Kyoko beamed and the older woman shook her head.

"Oh my, that was fun. I don't think I've ever done that before." She blushed and then laughed along with Kyoko. Suddenly several bags were put next to her making Ai looked up at the woman who put them there.

"What are those?" Ai asked softly.

"The clothing, madam, please enjoy," the sales rep smiled brightly and then left to help serve Chiori.

Ai looked at Kyoko and then looked back at the bags. She looked inside and found the floral top along with the matching skirt that she tried on. "Oh dear, I can't accept this." Ai stood up and walked over to Julie. Kyoko watched them have a quiet conversation that ended with Julie hugging the woman with a kind smile. Mother was too kind.

They spent the better part of the day like that. Chiori got five outfits that looked gorgeous on her. Kanae got six that naturally blew everyone away. Then Julie got 15 - most of which she didn't even try on. Finally, it was Kyoko's turn.

It seemed that Kyoko had to try on the most outfits. They gave her dresses and skirts/top sets for almost everything, a strapless light peach lace ruffle dress, a purple backless halter dress with glittering stones and a mini skirt, a gorgeous pure black corset dress, a rich blue knot front top with long dark gray back ruffled skirt, shorts with off the shoulder lace trip top and more. Then they finally dropped the bomb.

"NO!" Kyoko yelled out.

"Come out, Kyoko. We are all women. There is nothing to be ashamed of," Julie cooed.

"NO!" She held the door closed.

"Kyoko, stop wasting time and just come out. You know you aren't going to win," Kanae called out waiting impatiently on the couch.

"NO!"

"What is the big deal? Come out," Chiori spoke behind the door.

"I'm not coming out in lingerie! No one else had to come out in their underwear," Kyoko yelled out.

"No one else needed to. You need some for the honeymoon," her future mother tried to draw her out, "Don't you want to make Kuon happy?"

Kyoko remained quiet at Julie's words. She sighed and Julie smiled in triumph. "Can we at least get one that isn't see-through?"

"Fine." Julie tossed over another garment. She came out in a white satin slip that subtlety hugged her soft curves. It hit high at her thigh, covering everything and the front dipped lightly between her breasts.

Julie frowned. "Take off the bra," she ordered.

Kyoko blushed red and covered her chest. "Why! You get the basic idea just fine like this."

"No we don't. Either you take it off or I will." Julie stood up threatening.

Kyoko huffed, reached behind her and unsnapped the bra. She slipped it through her arms and threw it at her mother.

"Better," Julie said, catching it in the air. Kyoko wanted to run and hide, she felt so exposed. "It's okay. I think the other one would have been better."

"Mother, it was completely see-through, nothing would cover me up. Nothing! What would be the point of wearing it?" Kyoko whined.

Julie laughed. "You know nothing of men." She stood up and circled her, "I know you said you fooled around so I think you'll know what I'm talking about." Julie paused in front of a rack. "Men love flesh," she said frankly. All the young girls nodded at the obvious fact.

"But let me ask you this…" She lifted a slinky black and pink flyaway apron babydoll. "Do you think men prefer a naked woman or a woman wearing this?" She put it in front of Kyoko.

All three girls answered, "Naked."

"Wrong." She picked up a burgundy pleated babydoll and put it in Kyoko's arms. "They like the hint of flesh. The tease of what is underneath, knowing but not seeing the sexy little parts that aren't being shown drive them up the wall with desire." All three girls looked at her not understanding.

She sighed. "Haven't you ever notice when you wear a little skirt or maybe a low cut blouse that Kuon is all over you a little more than usual."

Kyoko blushed but nodded in agreement. Julie smiled. "Good. It's the same thing in this case. The see-through only shows a hint of what he wants, a shadow of what he is hoping to get."

"But he immediately takes it off," she whispered softly.

Julie leaned in to whisper back, "But you like it when he does, right?"

Kyoko nodded bashfully, and Julie continued, "Well then, I don't think we have a problem. Try that one on and be a little more open to it. I promise, I'll only give you tasteful things."

Kyoko obeyed, and Julie did deliver on her promise. They got the slip for their first night, a few babydolls, three teddies, some lacy bras and panties with garter belts and a few extra slips, since that's what Kyoko liked the best. She even agreed to one completely see-through black teddy. She didn't think she would ever wear it, but she agreed to it after trying it on for herself to make sure it fit.

It was almost four once they were done, and they were all starving. It took every single person to carry all the outfits to the limo, including the limo driver. Even then the sales women had to go back once again to get the rest. Julie had reservations to a teppanyaki restaurant. They had a whole table in a private room for themselves. To say the food was delicious was an understatement and almost impossible to disappoint, considering how hungry they all were. The chef was a delight and did so many different tricks for the ladies. It was all wonderfully done for such an early dinner.

It was a little after five when they got back to the hotel. As promised, they had bags for the bellhops to take to their rooms. Julie told all of them to head upstairs and strip putting on their robes. No need to keep their clothes in a locker if they are sleeping there. After they finished, they went to the spa. The spa was split up oddly. They had tables setup on one side of the room for massages, then they had these rectangle stone tubs that were filled with mud. In another room were a sauna and the salon that they went to earlier.

Even though the facilities were fully equipped with anything a person could desire, the party had to be split up. They only had 3 masseuses on staff for that night, and that was because of this special occasion. So the three girls got the massages first, while the two older women were across the room chin deep in a mud bath with little cucumber slices over their eyes.

No one said a word, oh there were plenty of sounds, but not a single recognizable word was spoken. Anyone listening into this little room would have sworn something extremely inappropriate was happening. Forty-five minutes later they had to switch.

"No, please don't ever stop," Kanae groaned, "I'll give you my first born if you promise to never stop."

"You would not," Chiori said, laughing.

Kanae unwillingly pushed herself off the table. "I so would. I don't think any child could compare to that."

Julie yelled out enraged, "What a horrible thing to say! You take that back this instant." She stormed over, freshly rinsed of the enriched mud. "Children are a wonderful, beautiful gift! I'm sure your parents wouldn't trade you for anything the world could give them."

"Mother is right. Your family loves you very much, Moko," Kyoko said and paused in thought for a moment and then shook her head, "You will be a wonderful, caring mother, a strict one, but caring. You will never be like my birth mother." The room went fairly quiet. No one liked to mention that woman even by reference, everyone feeling differently about Kyoko's birth mother. The two youngest didn't know what to say only having known love in their family. Ai felt nothing but sadness for her, while Julie felt monstrous rage. She wanted to hunt the woman down and beat her to an inch of her life, yet she felt grateful to her for birthing her wonderful soon to be daughter.

Kyoko stood up as if it was nothing. She was marrying into a family with more love than one person could have in a single lifetime. She didn't care about her past anymore. She walked over to the mud tub. The moment she moved, everyone else deemed it okay to move as well. All three girls moved over to the tub while Julie and Ai sat up on the tables and lie down on their stomachs.

Kyoko started to take off her robe when there was a horrified gasp in the room. Julie stood up and stormed over to Kyoko. Her eyes went wide as her mother took her arm and started walking away.

"Mother? What are you doing?" Kyoko asked fearful.

"I realize you are young, and you are a very proper girl. I respect and love that about you. You are so sweet and innocent yet strong enough to handle my son, but child, you need to take care of yourself and that includes your looks."

Kyoko was confused. "Is something wrong?" She tried to look at herself, but she was loosely wrapped in the robe that was clinging on for dear life as Julie dragged her somewhere.

"No, sweetie," she replied positively, finally stopping at the salon that they were at this morning. "You just need some… trimming." Julie turned to smile at a woman.

"Are you free for a wax?" Julie asked the beautician.

"Yes, of course, for both of you?" The older woman asked. Kyoko looked at her legs. She waxed recently. She wasn't due for at least another month. She planned it so she would have to wax again just before the wedding.

"No, for my daughter." Julie tugged Kyoko's hand making her take a step towards her. She smiled still a little unsure about what she was talking about.

"No problem, if you would follow me please." The beautician led the way with Julie following, and Kyoko being dragged along. They arrived in an enclosed room that Kyoko's seen before. Julie raised her arm, so Kyoko would sit on the table.

"What would you like done?" The woman asked.

"We'll take it easy on her so a full bikini," Julie answered for her.

Kyoko jerked her head to Julie. "A what! That was what you were talking about?"

"Of course, dear, everything little inch of you is perfect but that. It was frightening. Trust me. You'll fall in love with it, and so will Kuon. Remember...," Julie paused as she stepped over to Kyoko and did something with her arms. Kyoko found herself lying on the table with the towel lying on top of her instead of robe.

"...Beauty is pain," Julie finished as Kyoko saw the small glass filled with hot wax approach her.

A torturous high pitched scream ripped through the calm setting that made up the spa. Everyone twisted towards the sound as the poor creature wailed through the walls.

"What is that?" Chiori asked softly, afraid.

Kanae sat up in the mud putting the two cucumber slices down. "It sounds like… Kyoko, I think." Soon the golden haired American came walking back with a smile.

"Hizuri-san, is everything okay?" Chiori asked worried.

"Yup, everything is fine. Kyoko will be back shortly. It shouldn't take long." She took off her robe, her body bared to the world once again and lie down on the massage table.

"Deep tissue, please, no need to be gentle either," Julie requested. The masseuse took a towel to cover her butt and then stood on top of a stool to give her more height for added strength. Everyone wanted to ask what was happening, but no one had the courage. Twenty minutes later, Kyoko returned with a very angry expression.

"Don't ask!" She told the room. She let the towel slip from behind her and slipped her foot into the mud.

"Is it okay if you go in there?" Julie asked suddenly.

"Yes," Kyoko snapped. "I asked and she said I could do everything here since everything is specially treated, but if it feels uncomfortable to get out. Thank you so much, mother…" She growled. The beautician said she handled it very well and wasn't much to it. Since she waxes her legs, there wouldn't be an allergic reaction, and she was very fine to begin with.

"You're very welcome," her mother sighed as she sunk into the table once again. No one asked Kyoko anything, but they all figured it out when they had to wash off the mud. They simply smiled a very knowing sympathetic smile. Next on the list of spa treatments were the smaller stuff; they had a facial and a detoxing foot bath with a foot rub and then finally a dip in the hot springs.

"This is such a dream," Chiori said, slipping into the hot water.

"Oh, yeah, I can so get use to this," Kanae mumbled with a towel over her eyes.

Kyoko giggled as she rinsed off. "It has been a while."

"Hey, Kyoko-chan, didn't you grow up in a place like this?" Chiori asked cheerily.

Kyoko nodded as she slipped into the hot water. "Yes, but the onsen wasn't nearly as big or as beautiful as this one."

Julie watched the four Japanese women step into the hot spring completely naked without a care in the world and was baffled. "How is it you girls aren't embarrassed about seeing each other naked here, but you can't come out in lingerie that covers everything?" Julie herself didn't care one way or another about being naked in the right company. She stripped off, washed and slipped into the steaming water without a second thought, dut so did they, and that just didn't make any sense.

No one could really answer that question. Ai did try, "It's just how we were raised, I suppose. I went to the hot spring once a month with my mother. We grew up with it being okay."

Julie laughed. "It's like going outside in a bikini feels different than going out in your underwear, even if it covers the exact same thing." Everyone nodded but she shook her head. "You girls are going to have to destroy that comfort line. You are going to be appearing in your underwear a lot in your films. They do not consider lingerie, bras and panties nudity. In fact, I think America is stricter about censorship in their films than Japan is."

All three girls blushed, remembering the recent script they all received. "We can always just decline those roles," Chiori said dismissively.

"I wouldn't dismiss them merely because they are asking for partial nudity. Some of those movies are huge hits. Never limit yourselves but be cautious as well. I know you girls are smart, and when in doubt you can always ask Lory or me. I would be happy to help you." Julie smiled and stood up. Everyone looked at her and was a little green with envy. Her mixed white blood gave her such full lush curves in all the right places. They all considered her the best looking, even at her age. Which is something she would never tell.

"Definitely the fairy queen," Kyoko whispered to herself.

"What do you girls want to do now? We can go to a club? You girls dance, right?" Julie asked as she put her robe on.

"After everything we've just been through, and you want to go dancing? My body is so relaxed. I'm having trouble staying awake," Kanae moaned tiredly.

"You've got to be kidding me. It's only 9:30," Julie whined but no one moved a muscle. She glared at them. "If you girls don't get out this instant and come with me, I'm returning those clothes."

Kanae and Chiori were out in a blink of an eye. Kyoko took her time with Ai. Ai bowed, apologizing, "I am truly sorry, but I haven't been dancing since I was single and my dear husband wouldn't dream of doing so. I will have to decline that offer. If you want to return…"

"I was only kidding," Julie interrupted. "I would never return a gift. It was a threat to get the young ones moving. Okay no dancing then, let's do some karaoke. That's popular here right?"

Ai nodded. "That would be fine." All of them headed into the room and put on their new night wear, bright colored form fitting dresses or short skirts with flattering tops. It took some driving around, but the driver delivered them to a high class bar. Yes, as Kyoko just now found out, there were definitely different types of karaoke bars. The ones she had been in had a simple machine with two mics, a modest screen, and a table that was surrounded by a u-shaped couch.

This one almost looked like a recording studio. The whole wall was a screen and they had a stage with a clear podium where the words would appear before you. There were eight microphones available and all of the speakers were built into the walls. The couch was the same, u-shaped, but it lacked all the stains and usual wear and tear of rowdy teenagers. The table was perfect soild wood without a single scratch, nick or little hearts with S.S & K.C carved into it.

There were four menus sitting in the center. Each of the girls took one, suddenly feeling extremely hungry, since they had such an early dinner. Julie took the alcohol menu. The server came in shortly, and Julie ordered, "Sangria all around!" Everyone was legal now so no one could really complain, plus no one was driving. Why not….

Sangria was the best drink in the world!

It was cold and fruity and so sweet, absolutely delicious! Kyoko, Kanae and Chiori couldn't get enough of it and did you know? Everyone was a brilliant singer! They did solos, duets and groups songs. They did English and Japanese. Kyoko and Kanae did some English. Julie, of course, did the best, since she didn't have the accent the other girls did. Chiori sang the popular Japanese pop songs. Then Ai made everyone cry with such a sweet slow tragic song with her melodic voice. They ordered every single snack food, sushi and finger food they could order, and of course, More Sangria! Soon, the music was playing in the background, and the girls just started talking.

"You are so lucky, Kyoko-chan! You are marrying one of THE sexiest men in the world," Chiori slurred.

Kyoko giggled. "I know and you've only seen him with his clothes on. You should see him naked," she lowered her voice in a whisper and beckoned the girls over, "sometimes, I think he really is a fairy."

All the girls laughed out loud, "A fairy!" Kanae yelled out laughing, "Where the hell do you get that from?"

"It's true! No one is that good looking unless it's magical. Look at his mother," Kyoko whispered loudly. Everyone turned to Julie, who was sitting in the back, chatting with Ai.

Both Chiori and Kanae started nodding in understanding. Kanae spoke, "I would love to have a body like that at her age. How old is she? She looks like she's 30."

Kyoko laughed. "No! She would have been like three when she had Kuon." Her eyes started to drift. "But I'm telling you, I'm marrying into a family of non-aging fairies."

"Well at least you aren't dating an alien," Kanae started, and Chiori started giggling like mad.

"An alien!" She shrieked between fits of giggles, "Do you know what aliens do, Kanae-san?"

"Yeah, they break electronics with their bare hands," she grumbled taking another drink of her fruity wine.

Chiori laughed harder. "No, no, no…" She leaned in and cupped Kanae's ear and whispered. As she whispered, Kanae's face got darker and darker red till finally she jerked away from Chiori.

"That's disgusting!" Kanae exclaimed.

"What? What did she say? What?" Kyoko begged, eager to know what was said. Chiori leaned over Kanae's lap, and Kyoko met her half way. She started laughing as Chiori told her.

"Don't worry Moko." She sat up and patted Kanae's shoulder gently. "It feels good and with Yukihito being an alien, he is probably really good at it."

"KYOKO," Kanae screamed out shocked. "You've let Kuon do…"

"WAIT! Wait!" Chiori screamed interrupting Kanae. "Yukihito… where do I know that name?" Kanae blushed again, leaving Kyoko to answer.

"It's Kuon's manager. Yashiro Yukihito."

"You're sleeping with Yashiro! That's soo not fair! He's gorgeous too!" Chiori screamed and fell backwards on the couch, squirming in mock agony.

"I am not sleeping with him," Kanae corrected loudly.

Kyoko laughed. "But you want to," she sang and then became serious, "and he wants you too. Kuon is always telling me how much he needs a girlfriend, that he is lonely because he keeps asking about us."

"Yuki and I just started dating. I'm not going to sleep with him because he is intruth… introoo…. intruuu… bugging you and your precious Kuon." Kanae tried to end this conversation, but apparently her lack of higher brain functions clouded by the drink allowed them to ignore her tone and continue the conversation.

"But it will feel good! I think…" Kyoko added. She started to smile as she thought about him. "Well his mouth feels great and his fingers." Her face started to heat up, her eyes getting hazy with lust. "I really wish he was here right now," she said with a throaty voice.

Kanae saw an opportunity to drop the dating Yuki conversation and smiled. "Julie-san, we are going to go to the bathroom. We will be right back." Julie waved them off. Kanae pulled Kyoko up, still distracted by her thoughts, and they went to the closest bathroom, locking it behind them. Then Kanae pulled out her phone.

"You should call him. Make sure he isn't doing anything bad at his party." Kanae put the phone in her hand.

Kyoko looked up at Kanae like she was her savior. "Oh, I want to call him. I've had so much fun. I want to tell him everything, but mother told me I couldn't." She pouted.

Kanae shushed at her, "She won't know. You are in the bathroom. I'll be right out side the door, so make your call. I won't let anyone in."

Kyoko grinned. "Okay, Moko!" She hugged Kanae. "I love you!"

"Yeah, I love you too. Now hurry up."

The door closed and Kyoko had to try four times before her fingers punched in the number. The phone rang and rang and rang. Dark thoughts started filtering through her mind as to what he was doing, and she felt herself start to cry then suddenly it picked up.

"Kanae-chan?"

She grinned brightly hearing his deep voice and cheerily giggled, "Nope, guess again."

"Kyoko, what are you doing?" Kuon asked delighted by the call.

She plopped herself down on the tile. "I'm doing karaoke with mother and okami-san and Moko and Chiori and me," she said happily.

She heard Kuon laugh. "I see. I'm guessing you've been drinking too?"

She gasped, "How did you know? Are you here too?"

Another laugh. "No, I'm not there. I took a wild guess. Please be careful, Kyoko."

She pouted. "I wish you were here," she said sadly, "I miss you."

"I miss you too. I rather be there with you to be honest," Kuon's voice spoke softly in her ear.

She looked up with big glossy happy eyes. "Really?"

"Of course."

Kyoko shifted up, leaning her back against a stall. "That would be nice. Then I can show you all the things we bought. I got lots of different colors. Lots of things that mother said you would like."

"Colors?"

"Yeah!" She looked around and whispered very softly, "I even got a see-through one. Shhhh… I'm so embarrassed, you can see everything."

"Why are you embarrassed? Are you wearing it now?"

She laughed. "No, of course not, I'm wearing my new dress."

He sighed. "That's too bad. I really like the idea of that see-through option."

Kyoko felt her body temperature rise as his voice grew deeper. "You would like my dress too," her voice dipped an octave lower, "It has a zipper that goes from the top all the way to the very bottom."

"Oh yeah? And what are you wearing underneath?" Kuon whispered seductively.

She bit her lip. She squirmed on the tile floor as her body throbbed. "I can't." She shook her head. "I can't say."

"Then show me." He dared her. Kyoko hugged herself, shaking lightly. "Zip it down for me, and let me see what you are wearing underneath," he instructed.

She took a shuddering breath. When did it get so hot in the room? "I can't do that," she whispered.

"Why not? You're alone right?"

"Yes," she breathed heavily with her eyes closed.

"Then do it. Do it for me. Take the little zipper and slowly slide it down your sexy little body." His words made her fingers reached up to the zipper just above her breast but didn't move.

Kuon continued. "Let me see that smooth pale skin. Let me see you, Kyoko," he whispered. The sound of her name made her move slowly as he spoke. "Show me. I want to see what is holding your soft perky breasts when my hands aren't there to hold them."

She unzipped the dress just shy of it opening completely. Kyoko felt like he was really there watching her unzip her dress. His eyes devouring her flushed skin as she revealed more of herself. Her body felt heavy, hot, and wet. She unconsciously took her phone and snapped a picture of herself, sending it to the man on the other side.

She licked her lips, trying to speak, "Do you like it?"

"God, you're sexy," he confessed in a deep voice, "I want you so badly. I want to hold you down and run my hands, my tongue down your body and inside of you."

She shuddered thinking of having him over her, feeling his hands run down her body making her quiver and melt, his mouth on her skin, sucking and licking her breast, her sex. "I want you too, Kuon. I'm so wet. I need you."

He groaned, "Don't say that." There was a pause. "Where are you?"

"I don't remember." She tried to think, "A karaoke bar somewhere in Hokkaido."

"Hokkaido?"

She heard a few strings of curses, and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Kuon replied, "I'm still in Tokyo. When are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow sometime. Mother said I would still be able to make it in for work. Why?" She felt herself getting cold and wrapped her arms around her knees.

He sighed loudly. "Looks like we will both be left wanting. You should probably head back, and I'm sure they are looking for me as well."

"Do you have to go?" She pleaded cutely making him chuckle.

"I don't want to but yes. I'll see you soon though. Have fun tonight."

"I will." She smiled softly. "Kuon…"

"Yes?"

"You…" She paused. She was thinking of the pretty stripper girls and couldn't help her jealousy and worries. "You don't need those stupid girls. I promise I'll be the best lover in the world." she said determined and then her voice got quiet, "so please don't touch them."

There was a moment of silence and he spoke, "Nothing can make me touch them. I only want you, Kyoko. I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too, Kuon."

Kanae sat in front of the door, in a daze, playing with strands of her hair. A few people came by and looked at her funny. She glared angrily at them, and they left quietly. She yawned when the door supporting her suddenly opened, slamming her back onto the floor hard.

"Moko! I'm so sorry!" Kyoko squatted down at her fallen friend. Kanae groaned and rubbed the back of her head.

"Mo! Be more careful will you! You could have killed me." She turned her head to Kyoko and then shoved her back making her crash on her butt.

"I didn't do it on purpose, Moko! It was an accident! You don't have to push me," Kyoko whined.

"Yes, I did! What are you thinking? Zip your dress up!" Kanae gestured to Kyoko's almost naked form.

Kyoko blushed. "Oops. I forgot."

"You forgot? How do you forget about something like that?" She shot suspicious eyes at her. "What were you doing? You weren't sexting on my phone were you?" Kanae swiped back her phone.

"Sexting? What's that?" Kyoko asked as she tried to figure out the stupid zipper. It wouldn't go up.

Kanae was scrolling through her phone and found her picture. "This!" She showed the picture to Kyoko, who blushed. "That is sexting, sending dirty pictures to your boyfriend."

"Fiancé," Kyoko corrected.

"Fine! Fiancé, still! Not on my phone!" Kanae pushed a few buttons and deleted the picture.

"I'm sorry, Moko. It just sort of happened." Kyoko pouted and then got an idea. "How about we send one of you to Yukihito!" She reached for Kanae's phone.

"No! My phone, my boyfriend." Kanae pulled it away.

"Come on! Just a little one." Kyoko started crawling over Kanae, her dress still unzipped down to her stomach.

"No!" Kanae yelled, but Kyoko got her pinned and started tickling her. "YA! STOP!" She said between laugher. Kanae was wearing this slinky halter bra top with a tie on the back. Kyoko untied it and pushed it out of the way.

"KYOKO!" She screamed and Kyoko took that opportunity to take her phone. She quickly took a picture of the both of them before Kanae shoved her off. Kanae quickly tied the halter top back into place as Kyoko sent the picture to Yukihito.

"Sending…" She read the little text out loud as the phone started sending the picture.

"NO!" Kanae dove for the phone, and Kyoko moved it away from her.

"Sent!" Kyoko laughed. She pushed buttons as both of their hands fumbled for the phone. "And deleted," She said and finally gave the phone back to Kanae.

"What did you do! What was the picture of? Kyoko, I'm not wearing a bra! What did you take a picture of?" Kanae frantically tried to find the picture, to bring it back in some way, but she couldn't do it. It was gone.

Kyoko finally finished off zipping up her dress. "Don't worry, Moko. It was tasteful. I wouldn't send him anything bad."

Kanae started to cry. "That was really mean," she sniffed, "I thought we were friends."

Kyoko panicked and rushed over to her. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It was nothing. I swear. We are friends. I was just playing around. Please don't cry, Moko." She kneeled in front of Kanae and leaned in to comfort her. Suddenly, Kanae yelled out and tackled Kyoko onto the floor. She pinned her arms over her head and quickly unzipped her dress.

"MOKO!" Kyoko screamed out, but it was too late. Kanae shoved her bra up and over her breast and posed her phone over her.

"Payback is a bitch!" Kanae laughed and took the picture as Kyoko fought to free herself. Kanae was surprisingly strong.

"Aaaaaand Sent!" Kanae smiled triumphantly and let Kyoko go. Before Kyoko could do anything, Kanae walked out the bathroom door humming happily. Kyoko fixed herself and came running after her as best she could in her heels.

"Who did you send that to?" Kyoko whined.

Kanae looked at her like an idiot. "Who do you think? To Kuon, of course, I wouldn't send it to some idiot or stranger."

"Oh, okay," Kyoko said calmly. Kuon has seen her naked plenty of times.

"Though maybe I should send it to someone else, I bet I could get Sho's number," Kanae threatened.

Kyoko gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"

She laughed. "No, I wouldn't, besides, I already deleted it." She turned to Kyoko just before going back into the karaoke room. "Truce?"

Kyoko hesitated, but then smiled, "Truce!" They both went inside and found it the same. Ai and Julie were still talking about something, mostly Julie talked and Ai listened with apt attention, and Chiori was still lying on the couch. Kanae thought that was odd though. She went over to Chiori.

"Hey!" She nudged Chiori's leg. She didn't move. "Chiori!" Kanae called out and moved her hand from her face. She snorted. "She's asleep!" Kanae told Kyoko.

Kyoko laughed. She stepped over and lifted her arm then let it flop back down. "Wow, she is really out of it."

Kanae grinned nefariously. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Kyoko giggled. "Maybe but she doesn't have a boyfriend."

"Mo!" Kanae stood up and went to her purse. She took out a stick of eyeliner and a stick of lip liner, handing the later one to Kyoko.

"OH!" Kyoko giggled. "You're so mean," she said and started drawing a little heart on Chiori's right cheek with Kanae writing something on the other cheek.

"What time is it?" Julie yawned and looked at her watch. It was almost 2AM. She stretched. "We should head back. The flight leaves at 9am today."

Ai laughed. "I haven't been up this late in a long time. Thank so much for inviting me today, Julie-chan."

"Of course. We, mothers, need to stick together." Julie smiled and stood up.

"Oh but, I'm not a…"

"Yes, you are. You might not have given birth to a child, but you are where it counts." Julie paused and looked over at Kyoko. "In her heart." Ai looked at Kyoko and flushed as warmth flooded her heart.

Ai stood up and bowed. "You are too kind."

Julie waved her hand dismissively and looked at the group of girls. "What are you three doing?" She walked over to two very giggly girls over one that was dead to the world.

"Nothing," they both said as they quickly hid their "markers" like 6 year old girls caught playing with mommy's make-up. Julie finally stepped close enough to see what they were doing and snorted. Ai went the long way around and laughed quietly at the scene.

"Poor, Chiori-chan," Ai said trying to stifle her laughter.

"You two are going to take that all off before she wakes up." Julie grabbed her purse. "I'm sure the hotel has make-up remover, so we'll get something there. Let's go."

"Awwww! We can't take it off. If we do, she won't be surprised when she sees it." Kyoko pouted.

Julie shook her head. "No, be nice and take it off. Come on. I'll carry her out."

"Wait!" Kanae said, "Let me take a picture. Then we can take it off."

"No," Julie said. "What if that gets out? She is an actress. You girls wouldn't want that to leak out."

"Mother, we are all friends. We wouldn't let that happen. If anything like that were to happen, then we would only do the same and reveal pictures of ourselves for her sake." Kyoko knew nothing like that would ever happen. They only wanted to tease her a little for falling asleep in the middle of the party. Kanae took the picture as Kyoko spoke.

Julie laughed soundlessly and shook her head. "Alright, but if it does come out, I am personally going to tie each of you to a chair and let her at you. I will even take the pictures myself."

The two girls paled. "Yes, ma'am."

Julie carried Chiori effortlessly, and they all retreated back to the hotel. Breakfast the next morning was nonexistent. The three girls woke up, packed, got on the plane and went back to their lives with massive hangovers. Julie and Ai were fine and thought the breakfast was delicious.


	24. Bachelor Party

Chapter 24

_Same Saturday 7pm_

One five hour shoot and an interview later, Kuon was heading home. First thing first, he had to take Yukihito home. He slid his car up to the curb in front of Yukihito's apartment and waited.

"Actually, would you mind coming up? I would like to give you your wedding present," Yukihito spoke nervously. Kuon chocked it up to being bashful about the present.

"Sure. Thank you, Yukihito." Kuon slowly drove down a little bit and parked his car in a visitor spot. They walked up to his apartment; Yukihito nervously jingling his keys in his hand. The fact that he was so quiet should have sparked some sort of internal sensor in Kuon. Something was wrong here, something bad was about to happen, but he was lost in his own thoughts.

Yukihito coughed lightly as he stuck his key in his door. He smiled at Kuon, who was waiting patiently behind him. "Please come in. The gift is inside."

It was dark inside and out so when Yukihito turned on the bright lights, Kuon was momentarily blinded. He heard the door close behind him and something clicked.

"Here's the man of the night," someone, who sounded vaguely familiar, yelled out. Dread filled Kuon as his eyes finally adjusted. Kuu, Yukihito, Sasaki-san and Kijima were all smiling at him. Okay, Sasaki was leaning against the couch with his arms crossed looking as grim as ever, but everyone else had this big grin on their faces.

He turned to Yukihito with a demonic glare and growled, "You should return the gift." Yukihito flinched out of the way, and Kuon reached for the door. He had the door knob half way turned before his father came in.

"Oh no. You're not going anywhere." Kuu's hand pulled at Kuon's shoulder. Kuon swept his arm back and forced Kuu to spin slightly. He pulled open the door, and Kuu came over slamming it shut with a grin. Kuon shoved his arm off the door, but Kuu simply returned it to the same spot. His fist clenched in frustration.

Kuu leaned in with a smile and whispered, "Just give up. We are all here to celebrate your last days as a bachelor. Julie has Kyoko for hers, so you might as well come with us."

Mom has Kyoko? Oh boy. Why did that thought not sit well with him? Kuon sighed. "I said I didn't want a bachelor party."

Kijima came in at this point putting his arm around his shoulders. "Kuon-kun, it's time to let yourself tap into the playboy that we all know is inside you…" He paused and looked at him oddly, "…somewhere."

Kuon turned to his father. "Why is he here?"

Kuu laughed. "He hired the women."

Kijima grinned as he opened the door. "You are going to love them. Gorgeous and can they move! Only the best for my buddy, but first are the rules." Kijima lead the way with Kuu keeping a firm grip on his son, Sasaki following quietly and then Yukihito locking up at the end.

"The Rules?" Kuon was a little afraid of what they could be, but it was better to know now.

'Yup! Rule Number 1: You have to drink," Kijima stated. Kuon nodded. That was easy. He could probably drink everyone under the table.

"And Rule Number 2," he started.

_Oh good, there are only two._

"You are not allowed to say anything or even think about Kyoko-chan." Kijima turned to everyone. "In fact no one can. If you do, you drink!" Kuon smirked. It would take a lot of alcohol for him not to think about her. He wondered how long this night was going to be and cursed his free schedule. Granted, Yukihito would have just scheduled it another time so he was doomed either way.

"See that right there… now you have to take a drink as soon as we get into the limo," Kijima finished.

A black hummer limo was stationed outside and what's worse was Lory popping out with a big grin. He looked like Al Capone with a black fedora hat and a pinstripe suit. At least, he looked semi normal. Everyone even the Taisho was dressed well. Yukihito had changed to a black dark grey sports coat with the lighter blue business shirt he was wearing earlier sans the tie. Kuu wore a very dark bluish purple silk dress shirt with black slacks. Kijima work bright red dress shirt and ink black sports coat and slacks. Sasaki-san wore a light tan blazer with a darker brown shirt with black slacks. Kuon was thankful that he always dressed up when he stepped out of his place. He never knew where he was going to end up.

His clothing was more relaxed and much brighter with a pure white dress shirt and dark grey slacks. He would kill for a dark color coat or something to hide the eye catching white. With wherever they were going, he was sure to look like a beacon in the room even if he was already the guest of honor. Why get more attention if he didn't have to?

The first thing they did was pop open a glass bottle of scotch. Kijima poured a glass for Kuon first and gestured for him to drink it. There was no way for Kijima to know he was thinking about her. So drinking it would tell them that he was thinking of her, even if he truly was. _Whatever. _He knocked back the dark liquor. Kijima quickly refilled it and lifted his own.

"To Kuon, leaving all the lovely single ladies to me," Kijima announced. Kuon rolled his eyes.

"To the battle won!" Kuu added as everyone laughed.

"To capturing the unattainable!" Yukihito cheered. Kuon hung his head. Everyone in this limo know how hard it was for him to get the girl, but do they have to rub it in?

"To finding true love," Lory ended the jeers against the couple, and everyone raised their glass. Kuon smiled softly and nodded.

"To Kuon and Kyoko," everyone said at the same time and downed the drink in one swig.

The first destination was to a restaurant. Kuon could do this. He hasn't eaten yet, and what bad thing can they possibly do at a restaurant? Then he thought about it… Well, they could have hired girls to feed them, or they could get dancers to perform for them while they ate. He shook his head internally. No, this was, hopefully, a respectable restaurant. They wouldn't allow things like that.

It seemed that Kijima booked everything which frightened Kuon a little. Nothing good could come from this if Kijima was the one who planned this party. He didn't want the press to get pictures of all of them going into a strip join or having half naked women giving them a lap dance. The paparazzi would have a field day with photos like that. Not to mention, he could feel Kyoko's hatred and below that the pain of his betrayal. Though, it wasn't his choice. He was forced here.

He sighed. He was getting ahead of himself. They haven't done anything to warrant his woes. He tried to keep his hopes up. It seems that Kijima did his homework. They were being escorted down a hallway that was partially blocked off from the other consumers, but at the same time, it didn't mean it was a good thing either. It meant that no one would know who was going to the back room. Literally, they were escorted to the back room.

The hostess bowed. "The extra request for your party has been prepared to the east table. Please enjoy your meal."

As soon as Kijima entered, he let out an appreciative whistle. "That is a beautiful site," he said sincerely. Kuon was the third to enter and immediately turned around. Kuu grabbed his arm and turned him back around.

Laying the table was a beautiful woman with sushi artfully placed on green leaves all over her naked body. She had her eyes closed as if she was sleeping. She was perfectly still with pink flowers hiding her delicate areas while sushi covered her thighs, stomach, and between her breast. She even had one little piece of sushi on each breast. He thought this was the special request the hostess was referring to, but as he looked around he saw another table piled high with more food. Ah, that was his father's table.

"You get to sit right here." Kuu directed Kuon to sit to the right of the woman's chest. The table was actually lower that normal to accommodate the height of the woman. Kuu sat next to him and then Lory. On the other side sat Kijima, directly across from Kuon, then Yukihito and Sasaki.

"This looks delicious." Kijima ogled the woman. "The food looks good too." He laughed and stated, "Kuon-kun, start us off."

He sighed and lifted his chopsticks. "No!" Kijima yelled out, "You have no imagination. Okay here. Watch me." He stood up and grinned like a lecher. He bent over the woman, his hand at his stomach to keep his jacket from touching anything and with his mouth took the sushi roll from her breast into his mouth almost lifting the little leave that was covering her. Kuon noticed the woman blush but stayed completely still.

"I rather not," Kuon simply stated and started again with chopsticks in his hand.

"Come on! Don't ruin this for me. Just do it once. It's your bachelor party. You are never going to get to do this again," Kijima cried.

_Don't ruin this for him? I thought this was my party. Plus, I bet I can get Kyoko to do this for me. I bet the food would taste a thousand times better too and not because it was on her luscious skin. _He would be all over this if it was her. _Just do it. _He told himself. He saw a small bottle of sake off to the side. _Just get through the party. It's only one night._

He took the bottle of sake and drank straight out of it. Kuon stood up, leaned over the woman and took the very edge of the sushi into his mouth and sat back down. He tossed his head back, the sushi falling into his mouth and started eating.

Kijima grinned. "There ya go! Let's eat," he declared. Everyone started to eat with their chopsticks, thankfully.

Lory and Kuu filled up the room with talk about other times they've eaten like this. He couldn't believe that this was normal for business meetings. This was not an American custom. Once again Kuon thought better of it, America businessmen go to the strip clubs. This was actually more sophisticated. Nothing bad was showing, but the implied sensuality of it was always there.

The meal was eaten slowly, but Kuon couldn't help but be aware of the woman. No one mentioned her in conversation. No one touched her even accidently. Three of the men acted like she wasn't even there. Surprisingly, Sasaki was one of them. He ate off her thigh like it was nothing.

"Eiji-san, what do you think of your meal?" Lory asked curious of Kyoko's male guardian. The man hasn't said anything since their first meeting earlier that evening.

He nodded and spoke seriously, "It's good, very good cuts of meat and very well executed."

"Have you ever done nyotaimori before?" Kuu asked.

"Never as the guest. I did help prepare one in school for one of my old classmates. The model was not as good as this one," he answered seriously.

"You mean not as beautiful?" Kijima teased.

"No," Sasaki answered. "Not as professional," he added and popped another piece into his mouth.

"What do you think Yukihito?"

He blushed lightly and chuckled. "I wish some of the directors used this tactic to persuade Kuon to do a film. I think I would have given them the time to at least purpose their film before saying no."

Kuon shook his head. "I'm so glad they didn't. No offense to the model, but this should be done in private with the one you love." The woman's mouth twitched a little in a smile.

"I agree," Kijima said which took everyone by surprise. "Really. You can do so much more after the food is done with your lover."

Kuon laughed and the others smiled and soon started to laugh as well. "There is that as well," Kuon agreed.

Once the food from the model was gone, everyone was escorted out to the bar. They were given more sake as their model and food was refreshed. They stood at the bar with a small sake cup in hand. Lory and Kuu were talking with Sasaki listening to their extraordinary tales.

"How old are you Kuon-kun?" Kijima suddenly spoke.

"Um…" he hesitated, confused at the question, "24. Why?"

Ignoring Kuon's inquiring, Kijima posed another question. "Why in the world would you want to settle down at 24?"

Kuon chuckled. "Because she said yes. She's the only one who's had my attention for the past 4 years."

Kijima shook his head. He put a drink in front of Kuon. Kuon smiled and drank it as Kijima spoke, "That makes no sense to me. Yukihito is what? 33?"

"I just turned 30, thank you very much." Yukihito glared making Kuon's smile widen.

"Right, 30. You're 30 and still free to do anything and anyone he wants. That's the way to be with all those beautiful women out there just waiting to be loved," Kijima said dreamily.

"Is that right?" Kuon turned a smile to Yukihito. "Is that what you are doing to Kanae-chan? Kyoko isn't going to like that."

"No! I would never," Yukihito said fiercely and then paled. "Never mind Kyoko-chan, could you imagine what Kanae would do to me if I was playing with her?" Both men thought about it and then felt a shiver run down their spine. Each of them took a long drink.

"Wait. Kanae? The dark haired beauty that Kyoko-chan is always hanging out with?" Kijima sounded surprised, making Yukihito a little offended. Kuon filled up Kijima's sake cup and pointed to it. Hey, he said if anyone mentioned her. He wouldn't mind getting Kijima drunk enough to knock out and then he could end this night early.

"Yup." Kuon finished off his sake. "They started dating not too long ago." He turned a mischievous grin to Yukihito.

"No way! Damn it." Kijima pounded the counter top lightly. "I was so hoping to pick her up at the wedding." Yukihito shot him an angry look as he sipped his drink. Kuon merely smiled.

"Well, I'm sure there will be others there. I can always take Itsumi or go stag." He looked at Kuon and asked, "You're actually American, huh?" Kuon nodded in response.

"So then there will be some American women there too. That's like a sure bet, right there." He leered at whatever thoughts running through his head.

Kuon stood up and leaned into Kijima with his hand on his shoulder. "Most of those people will be family or very close friends." His voice went dark, "People that should be held in the highest regard." He turned his head and squeezed his hand making Kijima flinch slightly. "Right?"

"Absolutely," Kijima said smiling. Kuon returned the smile patting his shoulder lightly. The hostess had perfect timing and called the group back to their meal.

Kijima laughed as Kuon walked around him to head back to their room. "You don't have to worry about a thing, Kuon-kun."

"Oh I know I don't." Kuon smiled. "Because you are so much smarter than that." He will be sure to bring his own date after this. If Kijima felt any resistance towards a woman, he will wonder somewhere else. His lust filled eyes were like water, going down the path with the least amount resistance.

The model was a different woman now, but the same body type with much shorter dark brown hair. All models of these types had to have small bodies, small flat stomachs, small breast and small butts to keep the food from falling off. The alcohol was starting to make Kuon feel very warm, and he couldn't help but think of Kyoko on this table, on his table with nothing but the little bits of food on her body. There would certainly be no leaves covering her favorable parts.

He smiled secretly to himself. She wouldn't be able to keep still though. She would try her best, but there was no way he could control himself with her like that. He'd eat his way up her body, starting with her thighs. He would lick her skin after he ate the piece of sushi, take larger bites, his teeth gently scraping against her skin as he took the food into is mouth.

He could almost hear her whimper as he ate off her body. She would be shaking trying to keep still. It would be so… sexy. Kuon was eating unconsciously, the conversations around him muddled. His eyes registered the palm sized pink flowers that covered the model's sex. He wouldn't allow Kyoko that pleasure. He dipped his sashimi in his soy sauce and smiled. He could do that, drip sauce over the petal-soft fold of her sex, letting it mix with the wetness of her excitement. He licked his lips. Perhaps starting from her breasts down would be a better plan. There was no way he would finish his meal if he did it the other way.

"I think Kuon agrees," Yukihito spoke out, calling Kuon out of his thoughts.

"Yes," he agreed, to what he didn't know.

"Good. We'll be there a little late but we should be fine. Kuu, I promise there will be more food when we get there," Lory spoke up. Perhaps Kijima wasn't the only one with plans for tonight. Kuon didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. With Kijima, he knew there was a lot of sex involved. With Lory, it could be absolutely anything under the sun. Both were equally scary in their own way.

The meal was over. The next woman was already picked clean and the table set aside for Kuu was empty. Everyone stood up to make their way out. Kuon exited with Yukihito waiting for him with a smirk. They started walking back to the limo. Both of them knew what Kuon was going to ask, so he might as well ask, "What did I agree to?"

Yukihito smiled. "We are going to the next stage of your party. Of course, you know what that means right?"

The way he said it seemed to say it was another of Kijima's plots, more naked women. He nodded. "Yeah, I figure." Kuon turned to Yukihito. "I'm blaming all of this on you by the way."

A look of fear and sadness and then concern covered his manager's face. "Why? I was the bait, a victim like you."

"Yeah right, if Kyoko finds out about anything that makes her cry or even pout about this night, I'm bringing you down with me with Kanae-chan," he threatened.

Yukihito gasped. "That's hardly fair," he griped, "You've had years of friendship and love to be forgiven for a lap dance. I just started dating Kanae. She is so against this relationship from the start that anything I do will drive her away."

Kuon laughed. He laughed full and loud.

Yukihito looked at him puzzled. "Why are you laughing?"

"Oh how the tables have turned," Kuon finally said with a large grin. He hugged his manager and friend. "You are in the same position I was in."

Yukihito shrugged off his arm. "Not quite, she's the one who came up to me first with that kiss. Her pride won't let her quit without a good reason. So…" They both stood facing each other getting ready to climb into the limo. "I do agree we shall keep this night between us, and we will both be happy in our fragile relationships." Both men nodded in agreement.

"Oi! Hurry up! We don't have all night," Kijima screamed out at them. They both sighed and got into the limo.

They didn't arrive at a club like he was suspecting. They went to a hotel instead. This time Lory was the one who went up to the reception's desk. He came back with the room cards, and they headed up. He shouldn't be surprised at the grand size of the suite, yet he sort of was. It was almost as big as his condo. It entered into a very large living area. To the right was a large round dark wooden table with an impressive fully stocked bar. To the left were the bedrooms and bathroom. The whole place screamed money.

Before Kuon even noticed what everyone was doing, music came on deafeningly loud, a chair was pulled out and put into the middle of the living room and the bedroom doors opened to reveal three women in extremely sexy clothes.

The first was wearing a tiny little poka-dot red apron that said Kiss the Cook. It wrapped around her hips and did not cover the thong behind her. She wore a matching red poka-dot bikini top and had long blonde hair. The next girl was the prettiest in his opinion, with curly shoulder length black hair. She wore a black and blue ribbon halter top with a gauzy micro mini skirt. She had stockings that tied to a garter belt barely hidden by the skirt. It was obvious which of the strippers was meant for him. The last one had the same hair color as Kyoko, that coppery brown and wore bright pink. Her outfit wasn't a pair of overalls though. It was some sort of pink cloth that draped over her breast with a white belt-like cloth tied up front holding it up and a pair of short shorts with the same white belt design, both of the items showing off the underside of each asset. None of them could compete with the models and actresses of their world, but the alcohol and their willingness made up the differences.

The bottle blonde cook spoke up, "Someone told me that there is a man here about to be shackled." She smiled teasingly as the two other girls laughed. "We are here to give that poor soul his last meal." She pouted sexily.

"Here is your man," Kuu said and pushed Kuon onto the chair. The moment they saw him, they all flustered in glee. No doubt they probably didn't get many good looking men to strip for, let alone movie stars. Granted, they were hired by Kijima, Kuon would hope they were better than the average stripper in terms of professionalism. He did not want this getting out.

The blond and brunette came forwards with large smiled. "It's such a same such a gorgeous man is being taken off the market," the brunette said in a very low voice, "She is very lucky indeed but…" She turned to the blonde.

The blond cook took over, "Tonight you belong to us." The walked to each side of him their hands running up his arms and to his shoulders to reveal the coppertop standing before him. Like a perfectly timed play, a new song came on, and she started to move. Since he was the guest of honor, he had to suffer alone while everyone watched.

She stalked up to him, her hands running down from her long hair over her breast to her stomach. She tucked her thumbs in her shorts as she moved her hips to the sensual beat of the music. She smiled at him, turning slowly around, her hands slowly easing her short shorts off her hips. He watched like he was supposed to as did everyone else. She slowly moved down squatting to the floor, her ass pointing straight at him as she slid the pink cloth down her legs. She looked back at him with a smile as she ran her hands up her legs and then over her ass. Then she winked and slapped her ass loudly.

She stood straight up and fell back against him with a surprising amount of control. She placed her hands high on his thighs and started to rotate her hips against his crotch. He kept his hands limply at his side and smirked as the men started to hoot. Her hair tickled his neck and face. She smelled lightly like vanilla. She slid off of him and turned so her face was extremely close to his groin. She licked her already very wet red lips as she looked right up at him. He shifted back in his chair as she leaned her head towards him, but she wasn't going for his package. She had her hands on his knees and rested the back of her neck at the edge of the chair and then kicked off the floor making her butt come over and land right under his face. She did a split right on top of him, her sex inches away from his face.

Everyone clapped at in awe. Kuon was truly impressed. She let go of his knees, and slid down, her back rubbing down his body. Once her legs fell down to his waist she bent her knees inwards wrapping around him and the chair as far as she could, and she pulled herself up letting her legs straddle him. The woman was good even he had to admit that. The way she moved showed off an extremely toned and muscular body.

She danced above him and Kuon saw movement from the corner of his eyes. The other two ladies decided they had enough alone time and started to entertain the rest of the guests. He couldn't see much, but he felt less eyes on him as the coppertop continued his personal lap dance. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her fingers sunk into his hair. That feeling reminded him too much of Kyoko. She always did that and the reminder of Kyoko made everything a little less entertaining. Luckily, her hand slid to his shoulders for support. She slid off his lap, standing up between his knees. She leaned forward to lightly graze his face with her breast. The little tie holding her top tickled his nose.

She smiled at him and nodded at him. She took her hands and pressed her breast together making the little tie perk out a little. Ah, she wanted him to untie it and with the way she kept tickling his chin, she wanted him to do it with his mouth. Kuon smirked at her and raised his hand taking the little tip of the bow between his forefinger and middle finger. She pouted lightly but moved back letting his grip untie the scrap of cloth covering her breast. The pink cloth slipped down from her body revealing large round pale flesh with dark tips. She turned to her side and rolled her body, her breast bouncing with the movement of her body and oddly the slow beat of the music. She raised the leg closest to him and placed it over his right. Her hand went up her body, lightly squeezing her own breasts. She sat on his left thigh and pressed the side of her body against his, her hip rocking against his sex.

Kuon was sorry to say that he wasn't as hard as he was supposed to be. She was pretty, there was no doubt about that, but his body simply didn't respond as it should have. Still he smiled and smirked when it was appropriate. The woman leaned back with her hand going to the back of his neck and then snapped up, her breast touching the side of his face and sliding down. She turned her back to him again rubbing her bare ass against him again. This time she reached down and took his hands. He knew he was not allowed to touch her, but she was doing this not him.

She took her smaller hands over his and placed them on her thighs as she moved and grinded against him. His fingers slide over her damp hot skin. He felt the stings of her thong rolled under his fingers, but she didn't stop and make him take it off. She pressed Kuon's hands fully against her flat soft stomach. She made circles on her skin with his hands, drawing dangerously closer to her breast. The stripper made him graze them lightly, but she stayed on her stomach. She released his hands just under her breasts. He could feel the heat of them so very close to his hand, but once she let go, he immediately let them drop from her skin.

The dancer wasn't done with his hands though. She turned to face him again. She pressed her breast just under his face and reached for his arm. She squatted down, her hands sliding down to his hands and her breast sliding down his chest. She picked up his arms so their hands were about chest level. She weaved her fingers with his and started to dance with him alternating his hands back and forth in effect making her breast dance with the music. She took a step back and another pulling him along.

She smiled widely as he stood up. She was obvious in telling him what she wanted with her body, but that was what she was good at. The coppertop turned around and moved against him slowly sliding down his body. She let go of his left hand but kept his right. She had her right arm high up to keep his hand and spun herself like a dancer as she squatted. Her face ended up right where it was meant to, a breath away from his groin. She smiled looking directly at it and then looked up at him. She lightly licked the cloth that hid the zipper and started to stand up. Kuon felt her press her breast up his thighs, over his groin and up to his chest at her full height. She slipped her fingers into his belt loops at the side of his hips and started to pull back, wanting him to walk. He did so until he noticed where she was taking him.

There was no way he was going into the bedroom. There wasn't enough alcohol in the world to make him do that. He needed to dismiss her without offending her. Kuon stopped her and leaned in to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her body against him. The exotic dancer gasped and her face went hot, but she didn't object. He didn't think she would. He smiled wickedly at her and ran the back of his fingers down the side of her face, down her neck and to her collarbone. She licked her lips, her breathing quickened. He leaned in and she closed her eyes lifting her lips to him. He snorted silently and turned his head. He blew hot moist breath on her jaw down to her ear and then very lightly blew into it. Her knees gave and he set her down on the couch. He stood up and made eye contact with Yukihito. Kuon beckoned him over.

Yukihito came over a little distracted by the sites around him and found the half fainted girl on the couch. He raised an eyebrow at Kuon. Kuon lightly shook his head and tilted his head towards him and then at the stripper. He put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, the music was so loud no one could really hear anything. Yukihito nodded, and Kuon walked away to the bar. When the stripper came to, Yukihito was softly whispering in her ear making the girl blush. Soon, she started her little dance with him.

"That was smooth," a voice said behind him. Kuon looked back to find his father nursing a drink. Kuon shrugged in response and looked around. Somehow the three single men had all the strippers while the married and one to be married watched with drinks in hand. Kuon thanked Yukihito for being bait for the coppertop. The blonde was dancing with the very enthusiastic Kijima dancing along side her, and it looked like Lory was entertaining the brunette with his words more than she was with her body. It seemed all very fitting.

"HIZURI! GET OVER HERE!" Kijima yelled out, and Kuon sighed. He finished off his drink and set the empty glass down. Just as he was about to walk over, a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"You are doing well. Go ahead and sit this one out," Kuu offered. He went around the bar and smiled at him. "He didn't say which Hizuri." Kuon smiled in gratitude as his father went to take a blonde bullet for him. He watched for a moment and felt something in his pocket tickle him. He pulled out his phone and frowned. Kanae? He looked around to see if he could answer it and found the Taisho looking at him seriously. He smiled and started to put his phone away.

"Go," Sasaki Eiji said simply and took a sip of his sake. Kuon raised his eyebrow, his hand still on his phone buzzing. Sasaki nodded. "I'll cover for you. Go."

Kuon smiled brightly at him. "Thanks." He made a bee line for the front door and stepped out, cutting out the sound from the room. He flipped open the phone

"Kanae-chan?" He asked concerned. He never heard from the girl so hearing from her so late at night made him worry. Was Kyoko with her? Did something happen to her? If she got hurt, he was her emergency contact. He would have been called before Kanae.

"Nope. Guess again," Kyoko's voice flooded through the phone like the beautiful melody of a siren's call.

He smiled angelically. "Kyoko, what are you doing?" Now his heart started to race.

"I'm doing karaoke with mother and Okami-san and Moko and Chiori and me!"

He laughed. "I see. I'm guessing you've been drinking too?" He's never seen her drunk before. She sounded so cute and cheery. Kuon was a little disappointed that he isn't there to see it actually. She turned 20 last year, and she didn't want to celebrate with him like that. The most he has gotten her to drink was a single glass of Champagne, and she didn't like it.

She gasped, "How did you know? Are you here too?"

He laughed again. "No, I'm not there. I took a wild guess." She was really out of it. That worried him a little. What was his mother doing to her? "Please be careful, Kyoko."

"I wish you were here," she sounded sad, "I miss you."

He looked down to the floor picturing her sweet face. "I miss you too. I rather be there with you to be honest." He didn't know how many times he's thought of her, wishing she was the girl with him than these strangers.

"Really?" It sounded like she didn't believe him.

"Of course," he said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He wanted to spend everyday with her. She should know that by now.

"Oh that would be nice. Then I can show you all the things we bought. I got lots of different colors. Lots of things that mother said you would like."

They went shopping. All dad said was that mom took Kyoko to her bachelorette party. Not what they were doing. A bunch of women having fun would, of course, go shopping. He shouldn't have been worried. But he didn't understand what she said. Things he would like but lots of colors of the same thing?

"Colors?" He finally asked.

"Yeah!" He heard her pause and her voice went very soft. He had to strain to hear her. "I even got a see-through one. Shhhh… I'm so embarrassed, you can see everything."

He smiled. _Oh! She got things for the honeymoon._ "Why are you embarrassed? Are you wearing it now?"

"No, of course not, I'm wearing my new dress."

He knew she wasn't. It was just like her to be shy about something that wasn't even around her. Just the thought of it made her blush. Why did she get it if she was embarrassed? Still, the image of her wearing something see-through filled his mind rather vividly. He sighed. "That's too bad. I really like the idea of that see-through option."

"You would like my dress too," her voice dipped an octave lower, "It has a zipper that goes from the top all the way to the very bottom."

He recognized that tone. He's been hearing it quite often with her this past year. She still didn't know when she did it, but her voice gets honey thick when she was getting turned on. Just hearing her voice like that made his blood rush south. "Oh yeah? And what are you wearing underneath?"

"I can't." There was a pause. "I can't say," she whispered to him throaty.

"Then show me," he whispered. He let his words sink in, wanting her to understand what he was saying in her drunken state. "Zip it down for me and let me see what you are wearing underneath."

Hey, the alcohol was affecting him too. With this sexually charged night and now talking to the women he loved as she teased him. A man can only take so much before they let his other brain think for him.

It took a while for her to answer. He could hear her breathing though. Finally, she spoke softly, "I can't do that."

Kuon smiled. This was easier in person. He would already have her moaning beneath him. "Why not? You're alone right?"

"Yes," Kyoko breathed.

"Then do it. Do it for me. Take the little zipper and slowly slide it down your sexy little body." He closed his eyes as he spoke thinking about her unzipping the little dress. He softly spoke out his thoughts and wishes.

"Let me see that smooth pale skin. Let me see you, Kyoko," he whispered, "Show me. I want to see what is holding your soft perky breasts when my hands aren't there to hold them." His hands lifted into the air and clenched tightly. He couldn't hear anything but her heavy breathing.

"Don't stop till you get all the way down to the little panties coving your sweet little flower." He continued to talk without her response. He knew she wasn't doing anything but grasping her dress as her heart pounded in her chest. She was just too shy to do something like that in a karaoke bathroom.

"I bet you look…" His phone suddenly beeped once at him making him stop.

"Do you like it?" Kyoko said suddenly, and he looked down at his phone. There was a picture message from Kanae. He opened it up mindful not to hang up on her and Kuon saw her. She did with one picture what the stripper couldn't do all night. He was hard as a rock, and he groaned as he looked at the picture.

She had on this tiny little bra with a light pink cup peaking through black lace. There was a tiny pink bow between her breasts with thin little black shoulder straps. The dark color of her dress framed her body making her skin almost glow in sharp contrast of the bra and dress. She zipped it all the way down, but her hand holding the zipper covered the mound of her sex. He saw a hint of black lace panties that peeked from between her hand and the partially zipped dress. Her face was looking shyly down with her cheeks flushed darkly, her lips were slightly parted panting. He unwillingly put his phone back to his ear. He could stare at that picture all night.

"God, you're sexy. I want you so badly." He turned around and hit his head against the wall. "I want to hold you down and run my hands, my tongue down your body and inside of you." His hands caressed the wall as he pictured her just like in her picture.

"I want you too, Kuon. I'm so wet. I need you." He heard her breath shakily. He could picture her thighs clenching together and could almost taste her sweetness on his tongue.

He groaned, "Don't say that." He turned his head to the door where they were still having the party. He reached into his pocket and still had his wallet. He looked up and down the hall. No one was there to stop him. He could leave and kidnap her from her bachelorette party. "Where are you?" He finally asked.

"I don't remember." There was a pause as she tried to think. "A karaoke bar somewhere in Hokkaido."

"Hokkaido?" _Shit! Why the hell did mom take her to Hokkaido! _He cursed and slammed his fist against the wall.

"What's wrong?"

He frowned and shook his head. She heard him curse causing her to worry. Kuon replied calmly, "Nothing. I'm still in Tokyo. When are you coming back?" Hope still hung in his heart.

"Tomorrow sometime. She said I would still be able to make it in for work. Why?"

He sighed loudly. "Looks like we will both be left wanting." He pushed himself off the wall. Her being so far away was like a luke warm shower. He still wanted her desperately, but there was nothing he could do about it so his drive calmed a little.

"You should probably head back, and I'm sure they are looking for me as well," he told her as he gingerly walked to the door.

"Do you have to go?" She asked with a little whine her voice.

Kuon pictured her pouting cutely up at him, and he chuckled. "I don't want to but yes. I'll see you soon though." He smiled softly. "Have fun tonight."

"I will," Kyoko replied softly. He nodded once and was about to hang up when he heard his name. "Kuon…"

"Yes?" He returned the phone back to his ear.

"You…" She paused, and he frowned curiously. There was a pregnant pause and she finally spoke, "You don't need those stupid girls. I promise I'll be the best lover in the world," she said determined and then her voice got quiet, "so please don't touch them."

Kuon looked at his phone incredibly. He wanted to laugh and yell at her at the same time. He knew about her self esteem, and he was working on it, but sometimes it was frustrating. Kyoko didn't understand the hold she had on him. The way that even as a naked woman danced in his lap he could only think of her. His mind, heart and body would not function if it wasn't her. Tonight was proof of that fact. The way that she said it, made it seem like she didn't think she would be a good lover. That made him want to laugh. She was so responsive. She moved under his touch like the flower moves to sunlight. The way she moved and moaned, the way she touched him was more than any of his previous lovers. He knew that he would be blown away by her love in and out of bed.

"Nothing can make me touch them. I only want you, Kyoko. I love you," he said softly, sincerely. What he felt for her and told her was absolute.

"I love you too, Kuon."

Kuon heard her phone disconnect, and he followed suit. He glanced once more at the little picture she took and smirked. Perhaps this was a good thing. If a person becomes more liked themselves when they are drunk then the way Kyoko was acting with him, cute, easy to smile, seductive…. He smiled to himself. She truly does love him. That's all he ever sees of her when they are alone. He shut his phone and turned back to join the party. Things had to have calmed down, right?

He walked back in and the sound of the music and cheers of men engulfed him quickly. He couldn't see what was going on at the door, but as soon as he turned the corner what he saw had him wanting to turn back. Kijima had his face buried in the brunette's thighs doing something. He couldn't see. It looked like he was licking her but her thighs were closed together, and she was laughing. Either way, he knew they were going to try and make him do it too. They haven't noticed him yet, he could still escape.

"Kuon!" Kuu quickly walked over to him. Kuon smiled at his dad and walked towards him knowing that he couldn't escape. Kuu looked at him as if he was looking for something specific. "Where's the ice?"

"Ice?"

Kuu grinned. "Yeah, the ice that Eiji-san told everyone you were getting…." He nodded while speaking.

"Oh!" Kuon blushed. "Yeah, I went all the way to the ice maker and noticed that I forgot the bucket."

"Right, that's good," Kuu laughed while speaking, "Well then it's a good thing we have plenty already here. How's Kyoko-chan?" He asked trying to be sneaky.

Kuon raised his eyebrow. "I have no idea. Why do you ask?" Did his father really think he was that stupid?

His father grinned. "No reason." He lifted his drink to his lips and finished it off. "You need another drink and a strong one at that." He put his arm around his son's shoulders and escorted him back to the group.

Kijima lifted his head from the stripper's thighs laughing. His mouth was completely wet from some sort of clear liquid. He wiped his mouth. "Kuon! You've been a bad boy!" He turned and picked up a bottle of sake. "It's time to pay up!"

Kuon was directed to the stripper who blushed at him. How she could do that completely naked was beyond him. Well, Kyoko could do it, but he found that cute and wanted to make her blush even more. He didn't feel the same with this woman. The woman, in front of him, sat on top of the bar counter completely naked. She had her ankles crossed so her thighs were tightly shut. Kijima appeared next to him with a wicked grin.

"Wakame Sake," that was all he said and then poured the sake at the apex of her legs, a pool of the alcohol forming there. Soon there was a decent amount flooding the coarse dark curls of her sex. He looked up and found Lory and Kuu laughing at him. He gave them a look, _are you serious? _They both grinned and shrugged.

"DRINK," Kijima yelled out. Kuon put his hands on her knees and bent over. The girl immediately put her hands in his hair. He dipped the lower half of his face into the sake and then tickled her knee. She started laughing and her leg jerked spilling all the sake from her thighs. He wasn't drinking that. He noticed there was already a pool of the stuff all around her. What's a little more?

He pulled back up, his face dripping with the sake just as Kijima's face had been and no one seemed the wiser. Kijima pounded his back. "You finally woke up! I knew you were a party animal," he yelled out and then promptly stole the girl from the counter tossing her over his shoulder as she laughed. As soon as she left, Sasaki cleaned up the wakame sake without a second thought.

Kuon looked around and noticed Yukihito hiding in the corner. He walked over silently.

"Boo!" He said loudly, and Yukihito jumped making Kuon spill his drink. He quickly hid his phone behind his back which made Kuon suspicious.

"What are you doing? You didn't take a picture of that did you?" That being his face buried in the thighs of another woman.

"What?" Yukihito asked confused, and understanding filled his eyes. "NO! Of course not, this is personal. I wouldn't take a picture of anything that happened tonight."

"Personal?" Kuon tried to think of anything personal that his manager had in his life and he smiled. "Kanae-chan." Yukihito blushed lightly but stayed silent. Kuon chuckled. He looked around to make sure no one was listening, "Kyoko just called me drunk, is your girl the same way?"

"That would explain some things," Yukihito muttered and shook his head, "Well, actually she might. I don't know. It was just a picture."

Kuon frowned suspicion getting worse, "A picture? A picture of what?"

Yukihito glanced at him worried. "Well it's… nothing," he finally said and started to walk away. Kuon struck out his arm blocking his path.

"Is it a picture of Kyoko?" He whispered out venomously, and Yukihito started to blush. "Let me see it," Kuon ordered.

"No!" Yukihito tried to duck under his arm to escape, but Kuon captured his jacket and pulled him back. Kuon started reaching for his phone.

"Back off!" Yukihito started to push him off, and Kuon was forced back.

Yukihito straightened his jacket and looked to make sure no one noticed their scuffle. "Yes, Kyoko-chan is in it, but there is a lot more to it than that. I can't simply show it to you."

"Bullshit. Show it to me, delete it or I'll break your phone."

"Fine," Yukihito surrendered. He still had his glove on so he pulled out his phone. "I'll delete it. Not that I'll ever get something like this again." As soon as the phone was in view, Kuon stole it.

"Damn it, Kuon!" Yukihito yelled, but the damage was done. He was right. It was much more than a simple picture of Kyoko. He chuckled. It was a picture of both Kyoko and Kanae though he didn't know how Kyoko accomplished that. She still had her dress undone showing off the pink and black lace bra. Her skirt was hiked up to her hips and she was straddling Kanae's stomach. The main point of the picture was the very large amount of bare breast Kanae was showing. Kyoko was laughing as she took the picture and Kanae's arms were half way to covering herself up, but it was too late.

Kuon felt his face flare up. "Sorry," he muttered as Yukihito took his phone back angrily. Before he knew it, Yukihito sucker punched him in the gut, forcing the air to come rushing out.

Kuon started coughing as air slowly came back into his body and Yukihito spoke, "I would have edited Kyoko-chan out of the picture you know. Do you really think I would have kept a picture of Kyoko-chan like that? I doubt I would have kept it anyway." He sighed as he looked at it. "I'm a terrible liar. If Kanae remembers what happens and asks me about it, there go all my chances with her."

Kuon gasped, his eyes were teary eyed. He coughed to clear his voice, trying to talk, "That was a good hit." He smiled. "Again, I'm sorry about that. The alcohol and my temper never mixed well."

Yukihito laughed. "Yeah well, that felt pretty good, so we are even." Suddenly Kuon's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he reached in for it. It was another picture.

"From Kanae?" Yukihito read the message screen before Kuon could hide it. He sighed and looked at the new picture.

"Yeah, we are so even, now." Yukihito said blushing and looked away. Kuon really didn't know which picture was better. The first one with both girls in view looking like they were about to get down and dirty or the most recent. Kyoko was being held down with her arms above her head, the dress falling open and her bra pushed up revealing her breast completely. She had her head turned to the side, and she was blushing sexily. You couldn't see Kanae except for her arm holding Kyoko's wrists and strands of her black hair falling around the edges of the camera.

With images of the first picture, then the second on Yukihito's phone and now this one. It was like slow moving porn, especially if you continued to picture Kanae's top still being off as she held Kyoko down. Yukihito was still standing next to him but not looking at the picture. Kuon quickly turned and drove his fist into his stomach.

"Now, we are even." Kuon walked off while Yukihito fell to his knees. They both seen each other's girls topless and now the punch count was even. Alcohol really did shorten his temper. By this time, the three older men were watching their exchange.

"Is everything okay?" Kuu asked.

"Yup," Kuon stated and paused forcing the subject to be dropped. "Where are the other girls?" He yelled over the music to anyone.

"They left. Kijima paid Mimi to stay just so you could do the wakame sake," Lory answered. Kuon could not argue with the girls leaving. He didn't understand why, but there it was. Kijima came back going around the bar as Lory went to turned down the music. This was starting to get better and better, no more women, and no more loud head splitting music. What was the catch?

"Alright gentlemen," Kijima started grinning at all of them. He reached under the bar and pulled out a poker set. "It's time to play." Kuon grinned. This was much better. Why couldn't they do this from the beginning?

This was going to be interesting. Given the type of people who were going to play against each other, he felt very sorry for Yukihito and Sasaki at the moment. Playing against three actors and a master manipulator will make this game one to remember. That was why the table was round too. This was a bachelor's suite or at least they equipped it to be so for tonight. They all gathered around the table, starting from Kuon's left, Yukihito, Kijima, Sasaki, Lory and then Kuu on his right.

Lory stood up. "I have something else for this as well." He went to the bar and came back with a cigar box.

"Oh, yes," Kuu almost moaned, "now we are talking." Lory handed a cigar to everyone and everyone accepted it without complaint. After lighting up, Kijima started dealing.

"The game is Texas Hold'em. How does a 1000 yen blind sound to everyone?" He asked.

"We playing for real money?" Yukihito asked.

"Of course, what would be the point if we didn't play for money?" Kijima looked confused.

"But not all of us have that kind of money to spend." He gently tried to remind everyone that not all of them make millions of yen to fool around with.

Sasaki grunted. "Don't worry. 1000 yen blinds are fine," he spoke with the cigar tipped to the corner of his mouth as if he's had it there for years.

"Alright," Kijima cheered. "1000 yen a blind, 2000 for the big blind. Yukihito-san, you divide out the chips. Give… let's say 40,000 yen?"

"50,000 yen is better," Sasaki spoke up. He already had his wallet out and was counting out his notes. Kuon laughed and grabbed his drink. The whole ambiance of the room took a 180. Instead of only Kijima having fun, everyone now was, drinking great scotch and smoking sweet cigars was a thousand times better for everyone in the room. He wondered whose idea it was.

Everyone put in their pot, and Yukihito gave everyone an equal amount of chips. With all the alcohol in everyone's system, it was easier to relax and get their game faces on. It's been a while since Kuon played, but he still remembered how.

Kijima started shuffling the deck and then tossed a single card to everyone. "High card deals." Everyone flipped. Kuu was the highest card with a Jack of spades, making Kuon the small blind and Yukihito the large blind. Kijima relinquished the deck. Kuu reshuffled and then dealt the cards.

That man wasn't human!

They've been playing for hours now, the alcohol was long forgotten, their cigars half burnt and men's prides were on the line. Yukihito gave up after his first buy in and was now the permanent dealer. Lory has bought in twice, and Kijima has four times. Kuu, Kuon and Sasaki were the only ones with their original pot with Kuon and Kuu about to drop.

"Call," Kuu called out putting nothing on the table. Kuon looked at his cards. He had pocket queens, and there was a queen of hearts on the table. Three of a kind was a great hand, but the flop revealed three hearts on the table. Other than queen high there was nothing good showing, a ten of hearts and a two of hearts where next to the queen. Still a flush will beat three of a kind. The only way he could win without worry was with a full house. If he didn't win this, he wouldn't have enough to ante up in the next round. He had to see the next to cards.

"Call." Kuon tapped on the table lightly.

"Fold." Lory tossed his cards in and stood up for another drink.

"Shit! Fold." Kijima tossed his cards on top of the pot.

"Call," Sasaki said, hiding behind his mountain of chips.

A 3 of spades came out on the turn. There was still nothing on the table. He had the highest hand as long as no one had two hearts. Kuon watched Sasaki as he looked at the card. It was his turn to raise, fold or call. Sasaki glanced at Kuon and then at Kuu and back at his cards.

"Call," he said. Kuu called as well. This was good. It seemed that no one had the flush on the flop. Let's see if he can milk this hand.

"Raise 5000." Kuon put in his last 5000 yen chip. It turned to Sasaki again.

"Call." He put in his 5000 yen chip.

Kuu hesitated, but that didn't mean anything. He could be bluffing with a great hand just to make you believe that he had nothing, or he could very well have nothing. If Kuon read him correctly, Kuu had nothing. Still, he called the bet leaving him with only a single 1000 yen chip.

"And the river." Yukihito announced and revealed the next card. It was a 5 of diamonds. Kuon's heart started pounding as Sasaki pondered his next move. He really wished that there was a pair on the table even a small one to help improve his chances, but with the way things were going, he had the highest hand. Anyone would have put their pot in or at least raised if they had the flush.

"Call." Sasaki didn't do anything. He must have a pair of something, something small or even two pair. It didn't matter, three queens will beat that.

"All in." Kuu tossed in his remaining chip to the center of the table. Kuon wanted to smile. It seemed that his father just gave up, giving his last chip to the winner.

"Same." Kuon shoved his four white 1000 yen chips into the pot. Yukihito segregated three of those chips to the side. With Kuon raising more than Kuu did and him not being able to match it, a new pot was started for Sasaki and Kuon, which was only 6000 yen. Still rules were rules, if Kuu won then the old pot would go to him and the new one would be split back up between Sasaki and Kuon. With Sasaki having the majority of the money, it was nothing for him to match the bets.

"Show 'em boys." All three of them reversed their cards. Kuu had two pair, tens and threes. Kuon smiled as Kuu rocked back in his seat, but then looked at Sasaki's hand.

"The flush," Kuon groaned as Sasaki gave one of his rare smiles. He smiled a lot more when he was drunk or when he was winning everyone's money. About thirty minutes later Sasaki Eiji, the simple chef of a ramen shop was going home with 520,000 yen ($6,282 US).

NO ONE saw that coming, nor did they realize that they were not up against a simple one restaurant chef but a man without a single tell. He was stone. He didn't breath differently from one hand to the next, his lips didn't quiver, his leg didn't shake, he didn't hold his cards differently, his eyes didn't even dilate at a good hand. NOTHING, nothing he did spoke anything about what was in his hand. Never mind acting, being a stone cold rock was much better than lying.

"You have to tell me. What gave me away?" Kuu asked, devastated by the loss. Granted, he wasn't the one who lost the most.

Sasaki smirked at them as he took a puff of his almost completed cigar. "You are a very good actor, Hizuri-san, but you relied on it too much. You laid it on thick every time you bluffed. It wasn't so bad when you had a good hand."

Kuu laughed and nodded. "I had some good hands though but fair enough."

"What's mine?" Kuon asked.

"Your fingers," Sasaki said. "You tap your fingers against your cards if you have a good hand."

"He was always moving his fingers, how could you tell if it was his cards or the table?" This was Kuu.

"Just have to watch." Sasaki looked at Lory, "Takarada-san blinked more often but with his shades it was difficult. Luckily, he had lousy cards all night."

Lory laughed. "You are very good."

"Wait, wait… what's mine?" Kijima was the one who lost the most and was the most pissed off about it. Not at Sasaki but at himself. Everyone laughed at his question.

"You're just a bad poker player, Hidehito-kun," Lory answered.

"Gentlemen, I believe the night as come to an end," Kuu said with a satisfied yawn. It was four AM. Kuu stood up with a smile and held his hand out to Kuon. "That wasn't so bad right?"

Kuon shook his head and stood up. "I'm so happy it's over," he said with a big smile and hugged his dad. Everyone started walking out heading home after the long night.

"Bah, you had fun, and while they say these are the last fun days of your life, I know you will love being married, especially to Kyoko." Kuu smiled softly at Kuon.

"Absolutely, you are at your happiest when you are falling in love and a successful marriage requires falling in love with the same person over and over again," Lory said. Both married men agreed with him.

"Kyoko is a good woman, treat her right and you will live happily," Sasaki added. Kuon knew how good he was going to have it. There was no way he wouldn't treat her right, she was his goddess. He would worship her for the rest of his days.

Sasaki was the first to be dropped off, "Thank you for this evening. I will see all of you at the wedding." He turned to leave but stopped and looked back. "Let me know if you want to play poker again, anytime." He smiled at them, waved then left them.

Everyone in the limo laughed, shaking their head.

No way!


	25. Hands All Over

**A/N: Featured Song: Maroon 5's Hands all Over, which I do not own. **

Chapter 25

There was two weeks left before the wedding. Presents started to come in and were starting to collect in Kuon's spare bedroom. That little gift diary that Julie made her get was a blessing in disguise. Anywhere from five to ten gifts arrived a day. Luckily, they only had to deal with the gifts from their wedding guests. All gifts received by fans and well wishers from companies or people who don't know their address are being sent to LME, where a team of people are opening them and checking them over. They were taking note what the item was and who gave it to them. It was unfortunate, but most if not all the gifts from fans were probably going to be either given out or sent to charities. Any gifts given by influential people will have to be responded to and then most likely shared by the company. They always send gift baskets for some reason. It sounded cruel to give away or have other people handle these gifts, but it was safer for them, and to be honest, they simply didn't have the time.

She was worried that she wouldn't have the time for the ones they were getting already. Today was busy day for both of them. Kuon was taking care of the final payments for the wedding with Kuu and a shoot for a magazine till 5 o'clock this evening. Kyoko had to do a set of commercials for her new supernatural drama, Midnight's Run. As soon as she got back from her honeymoon, she would be stolen away to film for it, Two weeks after that, she would be required to do Jewel in the Palace and start the ending of Red Ribbon. She really didn't know if she was looking forward to it or not. Still, she committed and she would do her best, but what a way to start her marriage. She was going to be gone for the first three months of it. The only good thing was that she was going to live with him as he kept pointing out, they will still see each other every day.

That was a lot more than they had been able to see each other recently. Dinners, wedding plans and bad scheduling prevented them from seeing each other for three weeks. She couldn't wait for it to be over. Things were much more relaxed when they were dating.

It was almost three, with lunch included, by the time the Midnight's Run cast were free to go. As she left the studio, Kyoko called Kuon. She got his voice mail which was expected. He started his shoot at 1:30.

"Hi, I just finished. Please give me a call when you can. Let me know if there is something that still needs to be done, and I can take care of it before we meet your parents tonight. Talk to you soon."

She hung up. She didn't know how much he took care of this morning. She had all her dresses done along with her shoes. They were all gorgeous more so than she would have expected. She was hesitant, at first, when she saw them in the bags but as soon as she put them on, everything was perfect. It was uncanny the way her mother knew what to put on her to make her look the best. Until Kuon called back, she could go home and pack. She didn't have much to begin with, but they agreed to move everything to his place so they wouldn't have to worry about it there after their trip.

It was very warm outside, making it difficult to hide from the public. She didn't require as much as her famous family, but she had to actually try these days. She had on a simple flowery dress that fell to her knees. The skirt fell like tattered rags with longer strands of fabric fluttering around her legs and with some shorter spots. It was flirty and moved well. The top was snug with a simple curved neckline and sleeveless. To make up for her lack of cover up clothing, she sported her sunglasses and a large brim hat. Her hair had also grown longer as time went by. She was able to style it differently from her norm. Still, perhaps mother was right; maybe she needed to get a car. Lost in her thoughts as she walked home, her phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

"Hey. How is my beautiful wife?" Kuon asked, and she could hear him smiling through the phone.

"I don't know. I didn't know you were married," she teased and then let her voice sound hurt and angry, "Is there something you need to tell me?"

"Ha ha. You're so funny," he said sarcastically, "I'll get to say that soon enough, and you will have to answer. How are you?"

"I'm good. How is your shoot going?" She smiled stupidly into the phone. It was completely obvious she was in love.

"Fine. They are changing the scenery over at the moment," he paused. "Oh. Lory suckered my parents into an event tonight, so we are free from dinner with them."

"Kuon! You make it sound like it would have been such a horrible thing, they're your parents," she scolded him playfully.

He sighed. "We were invited too. Did you want to go?" She laughed. She could hear how much he really wanted to go.

"No, it's fine."

"Oh good," Kuon said relieved. "I was hoping to have you all to myself tonight. We can go to dinner and be alone for once." She could hear how happy he was with the thought of finally having some time alone. Truthfully, she thought the idea sounded wonderful. She loved his parents dearly, but they required a lot of energy than she thought, and she was getting sick of watching father eat all that food. She had much more sympathy for her fiancée these days.

"I have an idea," she started.

"Does it involve the lingerie you bought in Hokkaido?" He asked hopefully.

Kyoko laughed. "No." _Well it could now that he mentioned it._ "Rather than going out to eat how about I make us dinner, and we stay in. We should get as much time together as we can before all my shows start."

He laughed softly. "Kyoko, we'll have a lot more time together than you think, and it's only for three months. We've done worse when I went to America."

She pouted. "I thought you hated that time."

'I did so you'd understand why this is so much better. I'll get to see you every night and every morning. I can reach over and touch you, kiss your sweet lips and hold you whenever I see you."

She flushed agreeing with his words completely.

"Okay," she said softly, "so then does that sound good or did you want to go out?"

"No, staying in sounds wonderful," Kuon quickly replied. She could hear him smiling over the phone.

"Would you like anything special?" She paused. "To eat," she added and then thought better of it, "For dinner." She heard him laugh as she continued to add to her question, "Something that I can cook!"

"I don't care, cook anything you want to eat. I need to go. I'll come by to pick you up after the shoot."

"No, I'll be there before you get off, just come straight home." Her heart fluttered as she said the word home. It was going to be home to her soon. She better get use to that. They said their goodbyes and hung up. She arrived at Daruma-ya's quickly. They were setting up for the dinner rush with a few patrons eating an early dinner or an extremely late lunch.

"I'm home," Kyoko called out. She walked by the prep station, and the Taisho nodded his greeting.

"Welcome back, Kyoko-chan. How was your shoot?" Ai smiled at the sweet girl.

"It went very well. Everyone was very happy with my progress with the sword. I don't waver anymore, and the blade moves smoothly. It was very odd using a prop sword though, it wasn't as heavy as the ones they had me practice on." They chatted about the filming, and she revealed what she could about it. They didn't want too many details being spilled out. Not wanting to bother them, she dismissed herself upstairs.

She hasn't packed much at all. There were packaging supplies ready to be used in the corner of her room. Anything new Kyoko has gotten was already at his condo, so she had to pack all her old things. She was still sleeping here, sort of, so she couldn't pack everything away. She spent an hour putting the smaller random things in boxes: Pictures, knick knacks, books, old scripts, DVDs and other things she didn't need to have anytime soon. She would have loved to take some of it down now, but she couldn't carry a single box down to his place walking. That left calling a cab, or she could just wait till next week. They had Friday off just for this reason. They were going to pack everything away in a small truck and haul it over, one last night here, and she will be officially moved in and married to the man she loved.

Kyoko laughed. Just thinking about it made her heart pound, living with Hizuri Kuon, seeing him everyday and being his wife, his lover until forever. It was too good to be true. She glanced down at the constant reminder of her fate. The ring was simply too big for her little hand. She has gotten so many compliments though; most of them extremely jealous of her good luck in love, but that was just it. She was in love with him. They wanted him for his money and good looks. If he was in a fire and scarred for life unable to work, heaven forbid, she would still be with him everyday, kissing him, holding him, loving him.

She couldn't think about a life without him. Her heart ached at the smallest hint of it. She turned her head to the clock, it was early, but she wanted to be around him. She stood up and started heading out. As she reached for the door, she saw carefully wrapped boxes off to the side untouched. She blushed at them, hesitating at the door. They were going to be alone tonight, but those were for the honeymoon.

Kyoko found herself opening the first box. It was the pure white slip she was going to wear on the wedding day. She touched it softly, running her fingers over the silky material. What if she wore it today? She pulled it out and placed it in front of her looking at herself in the mirror. It wouldn't fit well under the dress. It would probably get wrinkled and it wouldn't look as sexy. She went through all the boxes until she found the simpler bra and panty sets. She found one that was light enough to wear under her dress and changed.

It was very odd to dress up with the soul intent to show off your underwear to anyone. Thoughts kept creeping into her mind about what he would think of it, what he would do with it and how soon would she simply not care. She bought groceries for pork shogayaki. It was fairly simple and didn't require a lot. Once she lived there, she wouldn't need to buy food for every meal she cooked for him. There would actually be food there, which Kyoko was sure his kitchen would have a heart attack if it was alive.

It was almost five by the time she made it there, so that mean he was coming home late. There was no clocking out from their work. They are either always late or always early. Unless, they were at location for something, then they were always early since they had to have time to clean everything up within the required time. So she took her time. She made the rice first, and let it cook before she even started on the rest. The meal was so simple. It would take all of five minutes. She went into his bathroom, freshened up a little and turned on the TV for noise. She put it on some home improvement show. Then she set off to work.

Not moments later, she heard the door click open. She grinned and decided to play the little wife. She rushed to the living room and kneeled down on the floor. She bowed all the way down, her hands pointing to the center, with her forehead barely touching her hands.

"I'm home, Kyoko," Kuon called out. Kyoko smiled as his voice carried through the apartment. She could tell he enjoyed saying that just as much as she enjoyed hearing it. She wiped the smile from her face getting into character.

"Welcome home, husband," she said properly as soon as she felt him near her. She rose up gracefully but didn't look up at him. She fought not to smile thinking of his confused face as he tried to figure out what she was doing, but there was a long pause. He didn't ask her any questions, and in fact, started to circle around her. She started to blush. She started to turn towards him when he suddenly lifted her up just by her arms.

"Ah!" She yelped and looked up at him. She couldn't see his face but his aura was serious. "Kuon…" She called to him trying to get him to stop walking for a moment. He didn't listen. He was taking her into the bedroom. It was dark in the room, his heavy curtains blocking the bright sun and threw her onto the bed.

"Oof!" She braced herself at the impact. By the time she looked at him again, he had his shirt off and was taking off his belt.

"Whaaa! Wait!" She started to panic. "I was just playing around. It was a joke!"

He laughed. "Damn." She looked up at him confused, and he answered her nonverbal question, "I was hoping you would play the dutiful wife for the whole night." He started crawl up on the bed shirtless with his slacks undone. She gulped as sin crawled over her.

He leaned in and started kissing her neck. "I would love to see how far I could take it before you broke character."

She laughed. "You're so mean. I thought you were angry or upset. Geez and then you start stripping off so crudely." She yelped as he bit her shoulder. "Kuon," Kyoko whined but then moaned as he licked her. His hand started pushing off the strap of her dress.

"Kuon, wait." She pushed at his chest. He looked down at her blinking. "The food is going to get cold." It was all she could think of. He was going too fast.

"So let it. I have a microwave." Kuon dived back in, his lips kissing whatever skin she was showing off, and what bits he was able to reveal. She pushed against the bed slowly trying to slide from underneath him but it seemed like he didn't notice or care, he just went with her, continuously kissing.

His bed was big but not endless. Before she knew it, the edge came, and she started to slip. He quickly caught her, his right arm wrapping around her shoulders and his left hand hitting the ground, stopping their fall. Kyoko opened her eyes. With her body still poised to hit the ground, she gingerly looked at him. His face held a look of concern.

He shook his head. "Okay. Okay. You win." Kuon crawled back bringing her back into a sitting position on the bed. He kissed her forehead and let her go. "I'm going to change, and I'll meet you out there in a few." He slipped off the bed, but she didn't budge. She felt guilty, though she didn't know why.

"Are you upset?" She asked softly, worried about his answer.

He was putting on a t-shirt and stopped midway when she spoke. Kuon chuckled, slipped his shirt on and walked back to her. The bed dipped as he sat down, and he cupped her cheek. "No. I'm not mad. You're so funny, Kyoko. I just like the extreme measures you go through sometimes."

She looked at him and found him laughing at her again. She crossed her arms over her chest hotly. "Well sometimes that's the only thing that works. You can be this wrecking ball sometimes, stubborn and in full force." She turned to him with suspicious eyes. "Tell me…" she paused for effect, "Tell me that I wouldn't be completely naked by now if I didn't do that?"

He coughed, and Kyoko saw a faint blush on his cheeks. She smiled as he turned away. "Of course not," Kuon lied.

She laughed and crawled over to him. "Let's try this again." She went to her knees and hugged him from behind. "Welcome home, Kuon." She kissed his cheek. He turned to her with a smile. His left hand reached up and touched her face.

"I'm home." He kissed her sweetly, and Kyoko smiled with a small nod. Before she could leave, his hand wrapped around the forearm hugging him.

"So then no welcome home sex?" Kuon pouted.

Kyoko smacked him, laughing. "Not when you ask like that. Change and come eat." She hightailed it out of the room before he figures out that if he asked in another way, she would probably say yes. He came out dressed in comfortable blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She put his plate down as he sat down and turned to get drinks.

"What do you want to drink?"

"Water's fine," he called out. She returned with two glasses of water, and he slid an envelope to her.

"What's this?" She asked lifting it up.

"The marriage license. I picked it up today." Kuon smiled and took a bite of the meal.

She was all grins as she pulled the documents out. There were actually three copies of the form, one for their records, one they needed to send back and the other for her name change.

Kyoko read part of it out loud, "You are hereby authorized to join in marriage Hizuri Kuon and Mogami Kyoko." She couldn't stop smiling. Lower it had Record of Marriage, but it was blank. "Do we fill this out?"

"Yes. They told me to do that on the day of the wedding. Both our fathers, or in this case two witnesses, and we have to sign each and every copy. Then we will be bound together by law as well as under God."

She couldn't stop her big silly grin. She carefully put everything away. "I can't believe this is happening. Next Saturday, we are going to married," she said in such awe. She tried to eat, but couldn't, the more and more excited she got.

He smiled brightly. "It's too good to be true," he said softly. She blinked at him. Those were her exact words from earlier. She felt like crying and laughing and then slapping herself to make sure this was wasn't a dream. Kyoko dropped her chopsticks and stood up. He looked up at her confused, concerned as she quickly stepped over to him.

"Wha…Mmmm," Kuon started to ask, but she cut him off. Her lips came crashing down on his, her hands cupped both sides of his face. She was aggressive and forceful, but he couldn't find it in him to fight her off. He moaned as her hand came down to his neck and her fingers sunk into his hair. He loved her hands, the way she scratched his skin in her needy desperation. He wondered if she knew how rough she was with him, the way she gripped his hair sent shivers of pain and pleasure through his body. She clung onto him as if afraid to let go, and he loved it. He loved how much she felt like she needed him, as if he didn't need her just as much.

She pulled away, panting heavily. Kuon looked into her face in concern, "Kyoko?"

"Make love to me," she whispered, "please."

Something about this felt different, and he had to know why even if is body was screaming at him to accept. "Why?"

"Why?" Kyoko frowned and blinked at him. "You need to know why?"

Kuon combed his fingers through her hair, speaking, "Yes, with the way you are acting right now. I would like to know why."

She paused and came up with the most obvious answer. "Because I love you," she said and started to kiss his neck. "I need you. I've missed you so much. I want to hold you and have you hold me." He closed his eyes and lifted his arms to let her crawl into his lap. She continued to lick and nibble up his neck and ear, and finally, her real reason came up, "Make love to me, Kuon. I need to make sure this is real. If we…OOWW!"

Kyoko jerked way, looked at her thigh where the sudden pain erupted, and back at him. "Did you just pinch me?"

He was trying to hold back his laughter; she could see it in his eyes. "Yes."

She lifted her leg and looked at her right thigh. There was this huge red spot. "That really, really hurt! Why did you do that?" Kyoko yelled.

"Because you wanted to make sure you weren't dreaming, right? Guessing that if I made love to you and you felt pain then that would mean you weren't dreaming," Kuon said out loud exactly what she was thinking. Kyoko blushed. He did laugh now. "Well I proved you weren't. Though I really don't believe that pain can prove you are dreaming. Dreams can be so real that you might think you are in pain but you're not. So there is no saying whether that was real or not."

She looked at him confused. "So then how do we know?"

He smiled at her softly and lightly caressed her cheek. "Does it really matter? If this was a dream, my being with you like this, the fact that I am going to spend the rest of my life with the only woman that I've ever really loved, then I don't ever want to wake up. I would make it my life's goal to never wake up again, because I don't want to live if I'm not with you."

Kyoko couldn't stop the tears from falling at his sweet words. She hugged him as she cried, and he held her. He waited a moment and added, "Besides, I'm sure I'm going to piss you off sometime during our marriage, and that will show you how real it is."

She laughed, her face still buried in the crook of his neck. "You couldn't make me mad even if you tried."

"Oh yeah?" He threatened. "Do you want me to prove that this is real?" She nodded. What would make her mad? And it had to be something he could get out of easily.

"I skipped lunch and breakfast today. This right here is my first real meal," he said confidently.

She smiled and laughed. "It's not comforting to know that my future husband doesn't know how to take care of himself, but I knew that already."

Kuon frowned and thought about it. She was still sitting in his lap and his mind went to the lap dance he got. Normal girls would get very angry at that. His fingers started playing with the little tails of her skirt. He didn't want to tell her that, but it wasn't like he slept with her or even enjoyed it. Plus, his conscience would be clear if he did tell her.

"I had a lap dance at my bachelor party." The moment he finished speaking, he wanted to take it back. Kyoko backed away from him, her arms leaving around his shoulders, but she didn't slip off of him. She actually stayed sitting on his lap. If she did try to leave, his arms were ready to hold her against her will. There was no way he would let some stripper come between them.

She sat silently on his lap. His arm felt heavy on her thighs while the other was at her back. She pressed her lips together not really knowing what to say. She looked at him, and there was this worried sorrowful look on his face. Finally she spoke, "Was she pretty?"

That was not the question he wanted to hear. Did he tell her the truth or lie? By world's standards, she was consider pretty, yes. He saw her as pretty, but he wasn't attracted to her. She couldn't stir his fire and make his heart race like Kyoko was doing now, fully dressed and looking so cute in her little dress. So the real question she was asking was if he was attracted to her, but how does one answer that?

"She wasn't you," he said softly and a ghost of her real smile twitched on her lips.

"I can't do the things she probably did." She pouted, and his smile widened.

Kuon smirked at her relieved that they would get through this. She didn't care about the dancer. Kyoko only thought of him, and what she could do for him. She was so… Kyoko. "I don't know," his voice went deep. He started to pull her closer to him. "I bet you could if you tried."

Her lips split into a smile as she hid her blushing face, shaking her head. "There is no way!" She cried behind her hands. "It would be too embarrassing." She lowered her hands. Her face was happy again and he was happy again. "I bet you couldn't even do it," Kyoko challenged him.

Kuon raised an eyebrow. "I can dance for you," he offered in a seductive voice and her face burned crimson. She didn't answer, so he took that as a yes. He slipped his left arm under her knees and lifted her up. She yelped lightly, clinging on to his neck.

"What are you doing!" She asked frightened.

"I'm going to dance for you, like you want. I do believe you are owed a dance, since you didn't get one at your bachelorette party," he replied casually.

She started to squirm in his arms. "No! I don't want a dance. I couldn't take it. I can't." Kuon set her down on the middle of the couch. He turned and started to move the little table from the middle of the room.

"Kuon stop!" Kyoko pleaded. Her face was still in flames thinking about it. "Besides, it's supposed to be a stranger not the man I'm going to marry."

He laughed. "It's more fun this way trust me. I would have preferred you stripping for me than that woman." He went to his stereo and found a song that he thought would fit. The music started right away, and so did he.

_Put your hands all over  
Put your hands all over me_

Kyoko covered her face with her hands, every little bit of her was bright red. She felt him near her, and her heart started to hammer uncontrollably. His hand reached out and touched hers. When she looked at him, he was smiling on his knees in front of her. He started to lean back moving his upper body to the music. His hand went to his belt and then swept up his muscular chest and as soon as the song actually started, he ripped his shirt making her gasp.

Kuon pulled back expanding the naked span of his chest in front of her. He rolled his shoulders back, stripping off the remains of his shirt. He leaned forward with that dark seductive look, moving towards her knees. Her hands were still clenched in front of her mouth as she watched him blow hot air on her knees raising goosebumps along her skin. He shifted back and started to crawl away from her like a predator. He stood up slowly rocking his body to the beat of the music.

He ran his hands over his bare skin, running from his neck to the hard muscle that made up his chest and the ridges of his abs as the chorus of the song was asking her to touch him, to touch him like he was touching himself. He turned to his side and thrust his hips forward, his movements so fluid and controlled. His fingers were at his belt, but she couldn't see what he was doing. Soon, Kyoko saw the leather strap come undone, and he quickly pulled, the belt slipping from around his lean waist easily.

_Now you've lost your mind_

_The pretty little girl I left behind  
And now you're getting rough_

She gulped, her hands moving down to her lap as she watched. She clenched the fabric of her skirt as he moved. Kuon turned towards her and ran the strap of the belt over his chest, slowly caressing his taunt skin. He circled his right nipple with the rough leather strap, and she felt a wave of heat rush through her. He threw his belt somewhere; Kyoko couldn't tear her eyes away from him to see where it went. He had his thumbs into the band of his jeans and was moving back and forth but didn't unbutton them to reveal the prize that hid beneath it.

He slowly started to creep forwards, and it was then that he unsnapped the little button. Her eyes were focus on it. Her breathing was coming out harshly with her heart was slamming into her chest. The little zipper on his fly slowly came down. Her eyes fixated on the black cloth that was being revealed underneath. She stopped listening to the song, the blood rushing through her veins making it hard to hear or even think. Kuon was standing right in front of her and he dipped his hips down and thrust towards her.

Kyoko turned away, her face blazed. She felt the couch dip from his weight. His arm appeared in front of her face as he reached for the back of the couch for support. She turned to look at him and had her breath stolen. Kuon was kneeling on the couch, her legs trapped between his thighs. He rocking his hips towards her lower abdomen, the muscle in his stomach flexed as he moved, showing off that perfect body of his. His jeans were slipping from being undone, and the open fly was teasing her, asking to be taken off completely.

Her hands were also trapped beneath him. Kyoko didn't even notice until the rough fabric of his jeans touched her skin for the first time. She quickly slid them out and was going to sit on them, but he stopped her by catching her left hand. Again, the damn chorus came on. Kuon pressed her hand on the middle of his chest, and very slowly ran her fingers down his skin, still rotating his hips to the song.

She bit her lip as her forced hand came down, over his abs. Her middle finger dipped into his belly button slightly and found the thin light brown hairs that trailed down to more dangerous things. He moved back as her hand moved down. She felt the fabric of his underwear on heel of her palm. Kuon raised her hand to barely graze over his crotch and then gently pulled her away from him, making it all a tease as the dance dictated. Before Kyoko could decide whether to put her hand underneath her or back on him, Kuon slipped off the couch.

Kyoko felt his hands on her knees. She gasped as he jerked them open and pulled her to the edge of the couch making her almost lie down. Her eyes went wide as he moved between her legs and crawled over her body. Kuon hovered over her with dark lust filled eyes. His left hand braced himself on the back of the couch, so he wouldn't actually be the one touching her. He started to roll his body to the beat of the song as if he was making love to her. His hips moving against her like he was thrusting in to her with slow methodical movements.

She saw his hand move towards her face, and she closed her eyes ready for his touch, but it never came. She opened her eyes to see what was happening. His hand was moving down to her shoulder so very close to her but not touching. Kyoko could feel the heat of it come down, moving over her breast. Her back arched wanting him to touch her, to end this torturous feeling he was creating inside of her. His hand slid to the side his thumb barely grazing her breast making her hiss. His hand moved down to her waist and over her hip all while he was still dancing above her. He reached her thigh and she raised it, bending her knee up. She put her foot on the edge of the couch and the outside seam of his jeans touched her inner thigh.

She licked her lips and did the same to her other leg on the other side of him. Her skirt fell to her waist but still hid everything. Kyoko found that she rather enjoyed what she was seeing, her body opened and willing for only him, his body moving against her, between her thighs. Kyoko glanced up to his face, and Kuon had his eyes closed, his movements growing repetitious as he lost focus. She looked down to the little gap that was showing off his underwear and found him long and hard, looking like a trapped animal. She placed her hands on his chest, and he went still. The song had already switched to something else, but they were both so lost to care.

Kyoko ran her hands down his incredibly hot skin, her body humming with desire. Once she reached his waist, her hands circled around to his back and then dipped inside of his loosened jeans and underwear. His right hand gripped her left thigh and pressed her leg against him. She squeezed his flesh and picked herself up. Before Kuon could tell what she was doing, her hands started to push down his jeans and shorts from behind. He pulled back to get her to stop, but she followed him as he stood up and actually made it easier for her strip him off.

Her hands crawled forward and finally released the thing she had been craving. Not giving him a chance to move or say anything, she ran her tongue across it making him cry out. She wrapped her fingers around it to keep him there, squeezing gently. She remembered him liking that last time, and it was still true. She shifted on the couch getting on her knees and licked the tip of his arousal making him shudder.

"Kyoko, you… uhnnn," Kuon tried to speak. She took him into her mouth and he shut up. Kyoko swallowed and her eyes shut closed as her mind returned to her. _What do I do? _She let him slip out of her mouth, her lips wrapping around him and ending with a kiss to the tip. She opened her mouth slightly and started to run her tongue and lips down the underside of his hardened shaft. He shuddered in her hand, and she smiled once she reached the base. She pressed her tongue against him and licked up his length again making him hold his breath and release it slowly.

Her eyes found his hands clenching beside him. She wanted him to touch her, his little strip tease making her yearn for him even more. She moved her free hand to his hand, and he looked down at it. She moved his hand to her bicep and looked up at him with a smile and turned back to her treat. Kyoko closed her eyes and pressed the tip of him against her lips. She slowly opened her mouth and slid him into her mouth. Kuon was so wide. She couldn't fit more than a third of him into her mouth, but he still seemed to enjoy it. His hand very gently ran through her hair and braced himself on her shoulders.

Kyoko could feel his body vibrating against her, the control he was trying to keep while she tasted him for the first time. She ran her tongue around him while inside of her, and he pushed against her slightly. She didn't know if that was a hint or a jerk reaction, but she continued with it. She pulled her head back and sucked him back in as far as she could. Wanting to do better, she wrapped her hand around the base of his swollen flesh and squeezed.

Kuon groaned, his fingers tightened around her shoulders. She did it again and again, finding a rhythm, and soon her hand joined her mouth, moving her hand, lips and tongue up and down his throbbing shaft. She felt her spit drip down to her chin and coat everything from her hand, to his shaft and sac. She tried to swallow the excess but couldn't and simply let it flow. She readjusted her grip on him, and he moaned again. Learning a new trick, Kyoko started to twist her hand as she moved up making more sounds crawl out of his throat.

"Kyoko," he gasped as she ran her tongue over his head. "Stop, I'm going to come," he groaned. She continued a little confused. She never told him when she was coming. Why was he telling her? Was she supposed to tell him? When she was on the verge, he went faster, so that's what she did. She bobbed her head faster over him, dipping him deeper into her mouth the more she got use to the feeling.

"Kyo…" he didn't get to finish, and she felt him jerk against her. Her mouth started to flood with his seed her eyes widened in shock. She felt herself gag and pulled him back, swallowing as quickly as she could. Kyoko pulled him out as the last of his seed spilled onto her lips. He fell to his knees, slipping out of her hand and onto the floor panting. She sat back suddenly aware of how exhausting that was. He put his head into her lap and hugged her waist as he caught his breath.

She wiped her mouth with her hand and kept swallowing trying to get rid of the bitter taste in her mouth. She understood why he warned her now. She wanted to clean up. It wasn't that it tasted bad. It was just different. She wasn't expecting it. She was only trying to get him to make more noises, to please him. She looked down at him on her lap and smiled. The only time she's seen him like this was in her room the first time he came. Was there always clean up like this with him?

Kyoko smiled. No, he always had to clean up after he tasted her, so it was the same. Kuon shifted and pulled himself into a sitting position. He leaned in, wrapping his arms around her back and tilted his head for a kiss. She turned her head away from him, and he pulled back hurt.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly.

She looked at him shyly. "I still…" She pointed at her mouth. "I should clean up if you are going to kiss me."

He smiled. "I don't care." He turned her chin back at him and tried to kiss her again but she turned away. He chuckled. He kissed her cheek and started to kiss down to her ear and her neck. "Thank you," he whispered to her making her blushed. She felt his hands at the back of her dress with the zipper slowly coming down.

"Kuon, wait," she pleaded softly, and she felt her bra loosen as well.

"Why?" He breathed across her shoulder. His fingers slowly slid up her back and slipped the straps of the dress and bra down her arms. He leaned her back and started kissing down to her breast. She slipped her arms out of the dress pinning her down and placed them on his bare shoulders.

"I want you to kiss me. Let me clean up first." She licked her lips and was still able to taste him.

"I am kissing you," he whispered as his lips tickled her right nipple. She shuddered as he opened his mouth and flicked the tip of his tongue over the tight bead. "And I told you I don't care." He pulled her back up and forced his mouth on hers. She whimpered as his tongue licked her lips. She opened her mouth, and he dived in, sweeping inside of her mouth, tasting himself on her lips, her tongue. She moaned as his hand cupped her bottom and lifted her slightly. Kuon pulled back, and she fell from the couch and onto his lap. She felt the rough fabric of his jeans on her legs. They were still wrapped around his thighs, but at the same time she felt the soft skin of his hips at her knees and knew that the only thing between them were her panties.

Kyoko planted her feet on the floor and started to rock against him as he fed from her mouth. The taste of him was finally leaving their mouths. His hand came up and cupped her breast squeezing roughly and kneading it. She started to feel him becoming hard again, sending a tremble through her. Kuon broke the kiss groaning as she moved her hips against him.

"You're going to kill me," he whispered hotly, and she leaned back against the couch. She felt her panties soak through, and the friction from the rough cloth against his hardening sex was starting to send delicious little waves of pleasure through her. Suddenly, she was lifted from his lap and was placed onto the couch. She wanted to object but his hands were removing the remains of her dress. That she couldn't argue with. She lifted her hips and he pulled the cloth from her hips and down her legs taking her panties off at the same time.

She was bare in front of him after so long, and he glanced down at her, his hand touching the partially smooth skin that now made up her sex. She blushed. She had forgotten the painful wax that she had to go through. She shivered as his fingers went around the small tuff of hair that still existed and to the wet folds of her sex. He didn't ask any questions. Kuon leaned in and licked her making her cry out in pleasure.

"No," she panted as he sucked her little button. His tongue slowly slipped down between her lips and pushed inside of her. "Oh, don't stop," Kyoko moaned forgetting what she wanted to say. Her thighs were on his wide shoulders as he ate her, licking and sucking her, driving her mad. She buckled the moment his hand joined in and his tongue focused on the little clit. Her hands clenched at the cushions. She rotated her hips against him as he moved inside of her.

" Kuon…" She panted and her legs clenched signaling to him how close she was. He moved faster. She cried out loudly as she was pushed over the edge. As she caught her breath, she saw him reach for his shirt and wipe his mouth. She wanted to speak, to ask why he could clean up but she couldn't. Then he moved to his knees and started to pull his pants up to cover that gorgeous erection.

"NO!" She bounced up and effectively tackled him to the floor. He landed hard but unharmed.

"What are you… Kyoko…" She took his hands and weaved her fingers with his and then started to slide her wet folds up and down his hardened member.

"You can't stop. I told you I was ready. I'm on birth control. Please make love to me." She looked down and shifted her hips. She tried to slip him inside of her, but she was too wet as if there was such a thing. When she pushed down on him, she ended up slipping over him making him groan. It would be easier with her hands but she was holding him down.

How foolish of her to think that she could though. The moment she felt like she could push him in, he tightened his grip on her hands and rolled over her, pinned her down. He started to rub against her like he did in her apartment, and she tried to fight him.

"Stop." She tried to bring her legs forwards to plant her feet against him and push him off but the angle it caused made his strokes worse…well actually better, oh so much greatly so… oh boy.

"Kuon, please," she begged. Kyoko felt her whole body throb with the desire to have him inside of her.

Kuon leaned in and kissed her. "Just wait." He slowed his rhythm and she looked up at him. "Wait till next Saturday. We've waited this long, we can wait till then too. You can marry a virgin like you wanted," he finished and then started to rub harder against her.

She shook her head. "No. I don't care! It's you. I'm marrying you!" She cried out and started matching his movements with her hips. She couldn't speak anymore. She wanted to say that it didn't matter when. He was still the only one to touch her like this. He was the only one that would ever touch her like this, so why do they have to wait till the wedding.

"You do care. I know you do," Kuon said breathlessly. "I can wait. We can wait." He looked down at her and wanted to sink inside of her but what he said was true. She cared, and he wouldn't take that away from her. Kyoko was a traditional girl, and he was happy that he could hold himself back for this long, even if he did cheat like this with her throughout their relationship. She made thing so difficult though.

He let go of her hands, and she wrapped them around his back, her nails digging into his flesh. He placed one hand on her thigh and the other on the floor, then rubbed against her harder, forcing pressure on her little bud. She cried out, her body spasms with pleasure underneath him. He stilled above her, and she looked down. Her small hand reached down between her legs and wrapped around him. Panic started to rush through him, but she simply stroked him. It wasn't long before he came again, spilling himself over her stomach.

"You're a fool," Kyoko whispered to him and pulled him down to her. He shifted down so he was face to face. He hugged her damp naked body to him and laughed.

"I know." He kissed her lightly. "I always do stupid things when it comes to you." She smiled and laughed in effect making him laugh.


	26. Breathless

**A/N: Music mentioned below: Shayne Ward's Breathless. I do Not own.**

Chapter 26

It was 5AM.

Kyoko was wide awake. She twisted around in her futon which was still at the Daruma-ya's and glanced out the window. It was still dark out, but nothing could get her to continue sleeping. Today, she was getting married. Today, she would forever be known as Hizuri Kyoko. She was going to spend the rest of her life with a man that loved her, wanted her, and her heart soared. She burst out of bed and put on the only outfit she had in the room. She rolled up her futon with her pajamas in it and picked the whole thing up. She looked around. The room was exactly the way she found it when she moved in, and her heart ached knowing that she was never going to see it again.

She sighed, closing the door. She turned down the hall and found the Sasaki's were already standing there fully clothed. She pressed her lips together and was blinking tears out of her eyes. She dropped the futon and rushed to them hugging them both. They put their arms around her and the Okami-san was crying as well.

"Thank you so much! I could never repay you for all the kindness you have shown me. I love you two so much," Kyoko cried and felt them squeeze her tightly.

"We love you too, Kyoko," Ai said finally dropping the honorific. They pulled back from the hug. "We are going to miss you so much," she continued holding Kyoko's hands. "Please remember we are here for you if you need anything, if either of you need anything, we will be there."

Kyoko then bowed deeply. She hesitated but wanted to ask, "I mean no disrespect, but would you allow me to call you mother and father?" She stood up shyly. "If we do have children, I would like them to see you as their grandparents along with the Hizuri's."

Both of them suddenly hugged her. "That would be the greatest gift you could give us. Our darling little girl, that's more than we could ever wish for."

It was harder than she thought it would be to leave them. Like her love for Kuon, she fell so deeply in love with this lovely couple that she didn't notice until it was almost too late. They told her to keep the keys to the restaurant and to make sure and visit at least once a month. She laughed and said she would have to visit at least once a week. She would miss them dearly.

Kyoko took Julie and Kuu's car only for today. She sat in the seat for a moment trying to stop her tears. Julie was going to have a fit if she came in with puffy eyes on her wedding day, though she was worried that her tears would never stop. In the mist of clearing her eyes, she heard her phone ring.

"Hello?" She said choked up.

"Kyoko! Where are you?" Julie screamed, "Hurry up and get over here! Do you have any idea how long it's going to take to prep you?"

Kyoko laughed. "I'm sorry, mother." She sniffed and turned on the car. "I'm coming over now."

"Oi, stop crying! You're eyes are going to get all red and puffy! Think happy thoughts. This is your wedding day."

"That's the problem. I promise, I'll have them under control once I get there." She hung up and drove to the saloon. They had three and a half hours to get her make-up done and the shiromuku on.

_8:30_

The two families were at the front gate greeting people. Kuon was front and center smiling like he never smiled before, trying to hide his nerves from the world. His palms were sweating, his brow was sweating, okay, he was pretty much sweating everywhere. The damn kimono was the hottest thing in the world. He glanced at his father and Sasaki in their formal kimonos cool as a cucumber, and he knew it was only him that was hot.

"It's time," a older woman said calmly, wearing red and white miko garbs. Kuu and Julie had to explain the wedding procedures to his family and guest. They were to follow the bride and groom into the temple and then be seated. There was also no walking down the isle, so everyone was standing in the warming autumn day waiting for 9am, waiting impatiently. As soon as Kuon and his family got into position, Kyoko appeared.

Kyoko was looking down and walking towards him with such grace. It was like she was floating. She had a large white bonnet like hat that covered her head and half of her face as she was looking down. There were two white silk flowers pinned on the left side of her hood-like veil that caught the sunlight with its silver tips. There was another flower by her right shoulder and another much smaller and lower on her chest. The whole of it had artfully embroidered flowers and cranes in flight that shinned subtly. It was like she was a spirit or angel walking towards him. She was holding the gown up as she walked, and as promised you couldn't even see her feet.

Kuon heard people in awe of her, cameras going off. He didn't even notice the film crew Lory hired already rolling. All he saw was her celestial form. Kyoko stopped in front of him, and he wanted to hold her, to look into her face. She peeked at him, turning her face up as far as she could and he gasped inaudibly as she smiled at him. Her whole face was painted white, her lips as red as fresh blood, her eyes painted to make it look like they were pure molten gold and then there was her hair. She dyed it black again, her natural color, and his heart almost jumped out at her.

"You look very handsome," Kyoko said to him first. Kuon opened his mouth to tell her just how beautiful she was. That he had never seen a vision like that in his entire life. No sunset or piece of art could ever compare to her, but she turned away facing the temple. He felt someone push him lightly. He turned to find his father with a big grin.

"Close your mouth and walk, son. Your bride is going to beat you there," Kuu teased causing Kuon looked over at Kyoko. She had taken a few steps. The miko next to her holding onto a big red umbrella, they were to walk under to get to the temple. Kyoko paused, and he quickly recovered the few steps she took. He wanted to help her. To offer her his arm as she struggled to keep the dress up, but he couldn't. She alone had to carry the burden. Everyone walked behind them as they followed the Shinto priest. Kuon kept stealing glances at her elegant form. He wished she didn't have to hide her face. All he could see was her ruby red lips and her chin.

They went up some stairs, and the music began to play. It was slow and not as upbeat as the American one, but it was played by flutes instead of a piano. The whole wedding wasn't as upbeat as the ones he was use to. It was also a lot shorter.

They moved forward, entered the temple and sat down in front of a small table near the altar. Kyoko sat down beautifully in her long kimono, and thankfully, Kuon practiced for days to make it look smooth for him as well. She posed herself with her fingertips pointed down and to the middle and her head hanging slightly down. They couldn't sit facing each other. They had to sit facing the family making it difficult to see his beautiful bride. The ones who got to sit facing each other were the father and mother of the bride and groom. The traditional wedding was about the bond of two families, not of the man and woman, so Kuu and Julie sat facing Eiji and Ai in their proper attire.

Normally, the groom's guests sat on the same side as the groom and the same for the bride's guests. This time only their immediate family did so. The rest of the honored guest that attend the actual ceremony, sat wherever they liked. The priest came to stand before them in light blue and started the blessing. He waved a haraigushi over them to purify them as a couple while saying a prayer. The haraigushi was a branch of a sacred tree with hundreds of white linen strips tied to it. Once he finished the prayer, a miko took the sacred branch and put it away.

Next were the vows. Instead of reading from a scroll or repeating the lines from the priest, they both memorized them. He itched to turn and say them to her, but he was swearing the oath to the families, not to her.

"This woman, I marry

No matter what the health situation is

I will love her

Respect her

Console her

Help her

Until death

Protecting fidelity

I swear"

Then it was Kyoko's turn.

"This man, I marry

No matter what the health situation is

I will love him

Respect him

Console him

Help him

Until death

Protecting fidelity

I swear"

Now was the SanSanKudo. The two mikos came up with pots filled with sake. Kuon was given the smallest of three cups. The miko walks up and pours the sake into the cup. He put the cup to his lips and took three deliberate sips while the priest read off the wedding contract. The miko took the cup and handed it to Kyoko. No, he couldn't simply give the cup to her. The second miko refilled her cup, and she took three deliberate sips. They had to do this two more times with a medium sized cup and finally a larger cup. Each time they had to finish off the sake in the cup with three deliberate sips. Next, it was the parent's turn. One miko went to each set of parents where they held a small dish for the sake to be poured into. Once they all had their cup filled, they all drank it, all at once

"Congratulations," all four of them said once they finished their sake. The miko that served Kuon now bowed, and it was his cue to read the wedding vow, again something he memorized rather than reading it from a scroll.

"We have now become united as husband and wife in this shrine. We respectfully pledge to make our hearts as one, give mutual help and support, faithfully execute our marital duties and responsibilities, and spend all the days of our lives together with unchanging trust and eternal affection," he spoke softly, pour his heart into it. His eyes saw her lips flicker into a smile and he couldn't help but turn to her slightly wishing to see that smile.

The second miko spoke up after he finished, "Hizuri Kuon, the first born son of the Hizuri family and Mogami Kyoko, the first born daughter of the Mogami Family have joined in matrimony on September 10th, 20xx"." They both stood up and walked up to the altar. They pulled out the traditional offerings of tamagushi to the kami of the shrine. They placed the two small branches of the sacred tree on the altar. Everyone bowed down twice, clapped their hands twice and then bowed once again.

Now here was the best part of the ceremony for Kuon. The two mikos walked up from the back of the room and pulled out small black boxes. The first miko opened the box revealing Kyoko's wedding ring. For the first time since it started, Kyoko turned towards him. He smiled brightly as she blushed under her hood. She raised her left hand to him, and he gently took a hold of it. He slipped the diamond encrusted ring onto her finger. It was made out of platinum with three rows of diamonds micropaved in three different angles creating a sparkle at every turn.

Her hand slipped from his, his fingers not wanting to let her go. Kyoko turned to her miko, who now opened her little black box. She turned back to Kuon, and he held out his hand. Her small hand cupped his larger ones as she slipped his first and last ring on his finger. It was thick, at 5.5mm in width, with six princess-cut diamonds flushed in the platinum band. This time when she finished and was about to let him go and face the crowd, he held her steady, forcing her keep facing him.

The priest smiled and announced them husband and wife, concluding the ceremony. The moment he announced it, Kuon pulled Kyoko's hand, wrapped his arm around her waist, leaned down and kissed her soundly.

The whole temple cheered and clapped. Kuon finally let go leaving Kyoko a little unsteady. He was make-up free with hers looking untouched, Jelly Woods knowing full well that the kiss was going to happen. Kyoko was now smiling fully as everyone rushed them with bright warm smiles and happy wishes.

Kanae came up first with her dark hair all pinned up with red flowers. She wore a rich dark red furisode with white flowers artfully put at the skirt and the hanging sleeves, the dark red fabric changing to gold, orange and then dark blue behind the flowers. She looked gorgeous and with her was Yukihito wearing a black Armani tux that was tailored made for him.

Julie and Ai were force to wear a black tomesode, but that didn't mean they weren't brilliant. Julie's skirt was littered with light pinks to darker red flowers and fans that seemed to catch the light when she walked, while Ai's skirt was spun up in shades gold and brown that seemed to have a light all of their own. The fathers of the newlyweds were currently signing all the marriage paperwork as their official witnesses. They wore the traditional black kimonos much like Kuon's.

The temple was rented for a few more hours as it was the photographer's turn. Yes, a few hours. Kuon and Kyoko first stood alone. They took a lot of single pictures with Kuon sitting down and Kyoko behind him and then visa versa, of them facing each other, facing the camera. Next, it was with absolutely everyone and each group or person took turns taking pictures with them. They had 150 people to please for this part, and it felt like they took a thousand pictures.

At each picture, Kuon never let her go. He held her hand, held her waist, he kept constant contact with her no matter what they were doing as if she would disappear if he stopped. Kyoko loved it, but she thought of it as more her anchor. He was holding her down, because she was beyond happy and cloud nine was surely going to take her away if he didn't hold her down.

It was a little bit after noon, when the pictures were done, and there was a break. The guest started to leave, heading to the reception hall. Kyoko was starving and was eager to go with them, but it was their first costume change. It was about 1:30 before they arrived at the reception hall with everyone else. This time, the couple was not arriving together. Julie wanted Kyoko to walk down the aisle, and since she was now wearing her western dress, they agreed to do it for the reception.

Kuon walked into the building first, dressed in a Brioni tux. Sometimes, he couldn't believe his boss. He didn't know where he found these buildings, but he did. It felt like a grand palace with arches and a walk way. They all entered a garden like area with Japanese maple trees with their leaves in full autumn mode lining the walk way to the inside of the building. As he walked through the grand glass double doors, he was assaulted with the applause of hundreds of people. The cement walkway morphed into red carpet that split the room in half. To each side were a hundred round tables each with a gorgeous flower centerpiece with candles and a small fountain. The whole room was dimmed slightly to create a candlelight theme. White and red flowers crawled up columns that were spaced around at the edges of the room. He smiled and waved at everyone and started to walk deeper into the kingdom.

There was a large circle off center towards the front of the hall making room for the dance floor. In the back of the room were three rectangle tables instead of round. The middle one was for Kyoko and himself. The two to each side were for the parents of the bride and groom. To the right of the tables was the stage, which was long rather than wide. It held the half orchestra that Lory hired and the rest of the stage was for the guest and entertainment to perform. To the left of the wedding party tables, was the cake that was the inspiration of the decorations. The candles lit up the fantasy fountain beneath the tiers making it glow.

Kuu came over with a smile, dressed in his Gucci tux. "Impressive, huh," he spoke normally to Kuon. They both turned to face the entrance as the main event was about to walk into the building.

"It's incredible. Whose idea was it?" Kuon asked still looking around and still finding new things.

"Julie and Lory. Once she saw the cake that you guys choose, they put their heads together and created this." Kuu looked around clearly in awe. "She never ceases to amaze me," he spoke softly. He turned back to the younger man next to him and found that he had lost his son mid-sentence. The music started to play signaling to everyone that the bride has finally arrived.

"I know exactly what you mean, dad," Kuon whispered as he watched Kyoko walk in arm in arm with Sasaki Eiji in a Christian Dior tux, and while he did look handsome wearing it, all eyes were on Kyoko's Julie Hizuri wedding dress.

The dress was strapless and had a little heart shape cut that rounded her breast. It sparkled catching every single light in the room making her the brightest thing in it. There was heavy embroidered white diamonds and pearls over lace at her bodice that crawled around her ribs to the wide white satin ribbon that tied it together at her back. The embroidery started to thin out to small patches that were placed in perfect locations throughout the skirt of the dress. Then there was a thin line of it at the hem of the dress. The dress hugged her body to her hips and fell delicately to the floor. There was a light train that didn't drag too far behind her perhaps a yard or less, made up of three layers of fine lace and silk. The shoes that peaked underneath sparkled with a thin line of the same pattern of her dress crawling from her toe over her foot to the back of her heel leaving the arch of her foot completely open.

His mouth went dry as she finally reached him. Her makeup was done over again. Jelly gave her the same dark red lips with gold smoky eyes knowing that the light in the room would make them shine. There was no white make-up this time, only her beautiful flawless skin. Her hair was pinned up with cascading white gardenias and made to look like she had so much more than usual.

Sasaki Eiji took Kyoko's hand and kissed the back of it bowing politely. She smiled and curtsied elegantly. Eiji turned and held out Kyoko's hand to Kuon as if giving her away. Kuon took her hand and kissed it as well. He didn't even notice the Taisho leaving. Kuon smiled as he noticed that even her nails were done for the occasion. They had little white lace designs on each of them. Her pinkie was plain, then her ring and middle finger had a small while flower and a red rose respectively, her fore finger had a little sparkling diamond and the her thumb had a rose and a diamond.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Lory's voice boomed throughout the room, and Kyoko moved to stand next to Kuon to face the crowd. He watched her move, changing to hold her right hand in his left.

"I am pleased to introduce you to Mr. Kuon Hizuri and Mrs. Kyoko Hizuri."

The whole room lit up in a light display that looked too much like fireworks without the smoke or smell of gunpowder. Kyoko's eyes sparkled in awe as the light show danced in the upper half of the room and the guests filled the hall with the sound of their applause.

Lory spoke up again, "They will now share their first dance as a couple with the musical guidance of Fuwa Sho."

Both Kyoko and Kuon turned to look at the stage, both in complete and utter shock. They made eye contact with Lory, and he simply smiled at them. They turned back to Sho. He was impeccably dressed in a black Versace tux with no bow tie and of course it was slightly open at the collar.

"This may not be known to everyone, but Kyoko-chan was my best friend growing up," Sho spoke into the microphone with a glass of champagne in his hand. "She helped me at the start of my singing career and to this day still supports me after all these years. I know no better woman than her and I know of no better man to hold her heart." He paused. "I wrote this for you in the hopes that you live together in everlasting bliss." Sho raised his glass. "To Kuon and Kyoko Hizuri" and then took a drink.

He set the glass down and the violins started to play. As soon as the words started, Kuon and Kyoko turned to each other and started dancing.

_If our love was a fairytale  
I would charge in and rescue you  
On a yacht baby we would sail  
To an island where we'd say I do _

They smiled at each other as the slow danced. She was worried that she would feel like they would be put on display, but it didn't feel that way. It felt like they were the world, which only they exist.

_And if we had babies they would look like you  
It'd be so beautiful if that came true  
You don't even know how very special you are_

_You leave me breathless  
You're everything good in my life  
You leave me breathless  
I still can't believe that you're mine  
You just walked out of one of my dreams  
So beautiful you're leaving me  
Breathless_

She looked down as she heard the chorus, her eyes started to shine with unshed tears. Kuon hugged her closer, and she looked up at him. She saw the undying love in his eyes, the concern for her and utter adoration he had for her as if she was the dream that entered his life and gave it meaning.

_And if our love was a story book  
We would meet on the very first page  
The last chapter would be about  
How I'm thankful for the life we've made_

_And if we had babies they would have your eyes  
I would fall deeper watching you give life  
You don't even know how very special you are _

Kuon's arm tightened around her, and she placed her head on his shoulder. He let go of her hand, allowing her to wrap it around his waist. He gently caressed her face as they swayed to the song. She smiled up at him as his fingers tickled her neck and caressed her shoulders.

_You leave me breathless  
You're everything good in my life  
You leave me breathless  
I still can't believe that you're mine  
You just walked out of one of my dreams  
So beautiful you're leaving me_

_You must have been sent from heaven to earth to change me  
You're like an angel  
The thing that I feel is stronger than love believe me  
You're something special  
I only hope that I'll one day deserve what you give me  
But all I can do is try  
Every day of my life _

Sho pitched out the highest note she has ever heard from him, making both Kyoko and Kuon turn to watch him. He was clenching his heart with right and grasping the microphone with his left as he held that note. As soon as he was done, the whole room started clapping in admiration.

_You leave me breathless  
You're everything good in my life  
You leave me breathless  
I still can't believe that you're mine  
You just walked out of one of my dreams  
So beautiful you're leaving me  
Breathless  
Breathless_

They didn't finish their dance. Kuon held her as they listened to this song that was all about her and the first tear ran down her cheek as he finished. She quickly brushed it off and clapped with the rest of the guest as Sho bowed and exited the stage. Kyoko took a deep breath trying to calm down her emotions, trying very hard not to cry. She felt Kuon's hand at the small of her back. She looked up at him. It was time to head to the cake.

Lory's voice came back. "We now give you the cutting of the cake." Kyoko and Kuon finally noticed the camera that was on them the whole time. They looked around and found two large screens that captured them perfectly. They laughed not having noticed it till now. The camera moved as they did. They lifted the knife together and placed it on the piece closest to them.

"You better do the guiding. I don't want to ruin the cake with my reckless chopping," Kuon whispered softly to her." He smiled as she laughed and smiled brightly. His hand rested over hers, but she pushed the knife down and guided it to the other side. He helped pull the little slice out as was pleased to find it was the flavor he chosen. They put it on a little napkin and she took off a small piece with as little frosting as she could get. She raised her hand to his lips, and he took the soft cake into his mouth while staring into her eyes. She blushed lightly as he did the same, taking only a small piece and offered it to her lips.

Everyone clapped with awes, and they both blushed at the attention. Lory came back saving them from everyone's eyes, "Now I present to you, your meal, please enjoy with all of our scheduled entertainment."

As they cut the cake and fed each other, the wait staff was taking their places. All at once every single table was served by waiters and waitresses dressed in black and white with the dinner plate of their choice. Kyoko and Kuon both walked to their head table where their meal was being placed down by their server. Kyoko couldn't keep her mouth from watering. There was so much on the plate from perfectly cooked ahi tuna to perfectly seasoned vegetables. Even the rice was delicious. She wanted to dive in and devour, but she refrained. She was thankful that everyone was distracted with their food, and the cameras were focused on the entertainment. She knew she was eating faster than what was deemed proper.

The next few hours were spent eating and watching all the shows that were approved, from music, to stories about each of them and speeches wishing them well. There were a lot of toasts to them, and the servers kept everyone's glass full. Kyoko had her fill within the first thirty minutes as did Kuon and most of the guest within the hour. It took Kuu the whole time to be satisfied and the two waiters serving him did well keeping his plate filled.

The last act was done and soft music started to fill the room. The lights came up a little, and it was time for them to change again. This next part of the reception was their turn to meet and great with everyone while handing out their gifts. They came out together, Kyoko completely transformed once again. She wore a rich blue kimono with a glowing flourish of large pink and tiny red flowers with blue leaves on a vine running around the skirt of her legs, up the left side of her waist, across her shoulder blades and down her arm tied with a dark read obi. Her makeup was lighter, for the brighter light and her hair was styled in waves. She had a wave of hair falling across her brow, then another from the middle going back and an elaborate pink flower arrangement in a twist on the left side of her hair about the size of her palm. Kuon came out in a white suit with a rich dark blue shirt with a tie of the same pattern as her kimono.

This part was the most time consuming for them, and yet everything that Julie and Lory setup for them made everything easy. They went to each table together and took pictures with everyone, they chatted with them, and Kyoko was pretty much introduced to every single person that was ever apart of Kuon's life. She tried her hardest to remember names with faces, but trying to memorize 400+ people after meeting them for five minutes was impossible. Once they greeted the person, a server handed Kyoko or Kuon a gift, and they gave their thanks to the guest for coming.

The scary thing about this was that every single gift was different, and they all seemed to like the gift. It wasn't a polite, "oh, my thank you," and then they would later trash it. It was like, "Oh my! I collect penguin figurines!" or "You can never go wrong with this brand of brandy. Thank you." It was creepy how accurate these gifts were. Once they reached the last table, they changed again. It was the last time before the party was officially over. It was now around 8 pm and all that was left was the after party, should anyone want to attend.

The final change was quick. She put on a dress similar to her wedding dress. It was white with the same lace and little patches of sparkles and pearls, but it was much smaller and easier to move it. It was sleeveless with a v neckline that crossed over her breast. The dress clinched high at her waist with an A-line skirt that hit just above her knees. She kept the shoes from the wedding dress allowing her to show them off. Jelly kept her make up the same but let her hair fall down gently around her face. Kuon simply took off his jacket and tie and then loosened his shirt by unbuttoning a few buttons, the cheat. They both stood up on the stage and had to make there farewell speech.

Kuon started to speak, "On behalf of my wife and I, we'd like to thank you all for coming here today and sharing our special day with us. There are times when it's good to be surrounded by people who are important to you, and for us this is one of those occasions. We hope that you're enjoying it every bit as much as we have, and we'd like to thank you for your kind wishes and support."

Kuon turned to look at the Sasaki's.

"To Eiji and Ai Sasaki, thank you for caring for Kyoko all these years, for opening your home and your hearts, for helping her reach her goals and not letting her quit after one rejection of becoming everyone's star. You two helped get us here today and for that you have my eternal gratitude." Ai started to cry again and her husband gently held her. Kuon turned his attention to his family.

"To my mother and father," he smiled as Julie already started to cry, "I want to thank you for all of your patience and understanding during my time of self discovery. I couldn't have wished for a family more devoted and loving as you. I love you so very much."

Kyoko stepped up to the microphone. She slipped it out of the stand that was too tall, and Kuon moved it to the side. She took a deep breath, lifted her face to the Hizuri table. Her eyes started to tear up, and she laughed.

"You would think an actress like me would be able to control her emotions more." The crowd laughed softly as she wiped away her tears. "To Kuu and Julie Hizuri, I cannot express all the gratitude I have for you for everything that you have done. Thank you for raising and loving the man that is now standing beside me. Thank you for all the support and guidance you have showed me even before we started dating. Thank you for showing me what a parent's love is truly like." Kyoko sobbed lightly and took the microphone away for a moment. Kuon pulled out a handkerchief for her. She took it and lightly dabbed her eyes. After a moment, she turned to her guardians.

"To my mother and father," she paused with a wide smile. That was her first time calling them that, and she loved the feeling of it. "If I could go to the heavens and ask for one change in my life, it would be for you two to be my birth family." She smiled and raised her head to Kuon. "So long as I still ended up with the same man," she added. He smiled at her, and she returned her attention back to them. "While I could not share my first few years with you, I was able to find you early enough, so I may share the rest of my life with you. Thank you for taking me in. Thank you for showing me true warmth from a real home for the first time in my life. I love you and always will." She bowed down to them and handed the microphone back to Kuon as more tears started to fall. He smiled as he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders with the microphone in his right. He turned to his right to the table closest to the stage.

"It is customary to thank the Best man and Maid of Honor at this time, and while they were not given those official titles, they still mean a great deal to us. To Yukihito, my best friend and manager, you've been with me for a long time. I have to thank you just for that." He grinned and everyone laughed. "You are the only person in the world that could keep up with my schedule. Not only did you manage my career perfectly, you also managed my personal life, without even asking me." More laughter filled the hall. "I have to thank you for that even if I wasn't thankful at the time. As I slowly realized my love for Kyoko, you found ways for us to be together even in my hectic schedule as Tsuruga Ren. If it wasn't for your meddling, we wouldn't have gotten to know each other again and fall in love. Thank you."

He handed the microphone to Kyoko but stayed holding her. Kyoko turned to her best friend who was already turning red, ready for the embarrassment. "To my very first girl friend, Kanae," she smiled at her, "I bet you thought I was going to call you by your nickname," she teased. "To Kanae, we didn't meet under the best of circumstances, in fact," Kyoko looked out to the crowd, "I was her rival, and she told me I would never make it in the business." She turned back to Kanae, "Thankfully, I can still call myself her rival and her best friend. Thank you for your loyalty and friendship. Thank you for eating ice cream with me when we go shopping, and for always being there for me when I needed you. Thank you for dealing with my outbursts and for accepting my affection in public." Kyoko laughed as Kanae turned a darker red. "I would do anything for you. I love you, Kanae."

Kanae was hiding her face as Kyoko finished her speech. She quickly stood up, walked around Yukihito's chair and beckoned Kyoko over. Kyoko quickly handed off the microphone to Kuon, stepped off the stage and hugged her best friend. The guest all clapped as they embraced, and Kanae broke the hug and quickly sat back at her table, hiding again. Kyoko turned with a bright dopey smile, and Kuon helped back on the stage.

"We would like to thank Lory Takarada, President of LME," Kuon spoke first. They turned to the table in the front middle. "Thank you for changing our lives."

He lowered the microphone to Kyoko, "Thank you for giving both of us a chance."

He raised it back to his lips, "Thank you for guiding us with your inventive, crazy but brilliant ideas." The crowded laughed.

Kyoko spoke again, "Thank you for helping us find the love lost in our hearts." Lory was brought to tears and Jelly handed him a handkerchief.

"There are so many more people we would like to thank, but we don't want to keep you here for the next year." The guest laughed and Kuon continued, "I would like to say a special thank you to those of you that have traveled some distance to be here today. It is quite a humbling experience to realize that you have friends and family that care so much for you. And I do genuinely mean that," Kuon paused and glanced down at Kyoko.

"Before I bid everyone a goodnight, unless you are staying for the dance that is, I need to thank just one more person," Kuon started, and Kyoko looked at him a little confused. He turned to her, "To my lovely new wife." She blushed as he took her hand and looked into her eyes. "She is always telling me how wonderful I am and how lucky she is for being with me, but anyone can tell that I'm the one that is blessed. I knew it the moment you stepped out into the sun at the stream that you were the one I was going to spend the rest of my life with. You were the one I wanted to make smile and laugh for the rest of my life, because I'll never grow tired of it. Thank you for giving me that chance. Thank you for being my charm, the one that helped me through the darkness with your light." He went down on one knee. "My princess, my beautiful Kyoko, I love you now and forever."

Kyoko felt tears run down her eyes. She threw her arms around him kissing him unabashed. Everyone stood up and cheered for the couple. Kuon wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up as he stood, kissing her. They broke the kiss, and Kuon set her down gently laughing.

"Thank you all again and have a wonderful night," Kuon finished and the applause never slowed down. They stepped down and Lory came back up.

"The hall has been booked till midnight for the after party. Everyone is welcomed to join us in celebration of the lovely couple."


	27. First of Many

Chapter 27

A lot of people did stay. Most stayed for about an hour and then left, including the Taisho and Okami-san. Kuon and Kyoko would love to say that they danced together for the rest of the night, but that wasn't true at all. In fact, the moment the music started, they were torn apart with people wanting to talk and dance with the couple. Their parents received the first dance with them, Kyoko smiling happily with the stoic Taisho as he concentrated on his steps and then getting swept away in Kuu's arms. Kuon, as charming as ever, danced with both of her new mothers with such elegant grace. Next song, Kanae and Yukihito came up. Kanae hugged her again, and Kyoko was overwhelmed with such open affection. Apparently, Kanae was a sucker for weddings.

Kuon bowed and offered his hand to Kanae, and Yukihito did the same to Kyoko. Both ladies accepted graciously. Yukihito was a wonderful dancer as was her next partner Lory. Kuon twirled the ever growing Maria-chan in her beautiful purple party dress, and danced with Jelly before returning her to Lory. She was able to see the entire cast of Dark Moon, the show that gave her start. Ogata was still as enchanting as a princess, and she got to meet his mother and father, them being friends to the Hizuris. All of her co-starts new and old came and hugged her again and danced with them. Even Kijima came up and danced with a little warning glare from Kuon.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Kyoko-chan." He smirked his little playboy smirk.

She laughed. "Be careful Kijima-san. You are hitting on a married woman."

He laughed. "Oh please, don't tell Kuon-kun. He hasn't forgiven me for the bachelor party."

The night and the guest seemed endless. Moments would pass as Kyoko smiled and danced with some man now related to her by marriage and the next with an old family friend that told Kyoko of how Kuon use to love playing in the mud when he was three. Each time she danced, she felt like she was slowly moving away from the man she married, and suddenly, he would appear next to her, dancing with his aunt or a friend of his mother's. The music was by far the best part. Anyone who wanted to sing could come up and sing. Ruriko came up and sang a sweet upbeat love song for everyone and even Hikaru went up and sang. She didn't know he could sing as he sang a tragic love song. Sho blessed the crowd again with his one of his number one hits making the guest go crazy with his rock song.

Kyoko didn't know what time it was. The crowd has gotten thinner, but there was still about half of the people dancing away. There was constant food for the guest at a serve yourself buffet table, the alcohol was flowing into everyone's glass and down everyone's throats. Kyoko looked around and for once couldn't find her husband. She found a brief moment in which someone didn't come up to her for a dance. She slipped through the crowd trying hard not to be seen and ducked into a corner. She sat on a box and relieved her feet from her heels. She groaned as she wiggled her toes and rubbed her foot.

"Is it too late to ask you for a dance?"

Kyoko turned up to find a devastatingly handsome man smiling down at her softly. She smiled up at him and started to put her shoes back on.

"No, leave them. You don't need to dance with me with those on." He held out his hand, and she tentatively took it. "I promise we won't move far." He helped her to her feet and led her to the dance floor. He held her right hand up in the air, her left going high on his bicep and his at her waist. She danced on the balls of her feet and found words stuck in her throat.

"Why couldn't I have seen it sooner?" Sho spoke softly as he gazed down at the woman who ran away with his heart.

"Sho, please don't," she whispered and looked to the crowd. She felt his hand squeeze hers, his fingers knead her waist.

"You are so beautiful. I couldn't believe what I was seeing as you came out the perfect Japanese bride."

Kyoko snapped her head up and looked up at him in surprise. "You were there?"

He barely nodded. "No matter what we have been through, you are still the closest person to me, Kyoko-chan."

She couldn't look at him. The raw feelings he was showing her were too much, and she didn't have the heart to meet his eyes. "What's with the -chan, Sho?"

He smiled sadly. "Distance. It's part of my Kyoko anonymous 12-step program." He chuckled. She danced slowly with him. They spun around as he gazed at the woman he foolishly let go. His thumb absently caressed her hand, and he ached to hold her closer but refrained. He messed up and lost the only thing in his life that music can come in second to.

"I don't know what to say, Sho. What do you want me to say?" She looked up at him with unshed tears.

Sho shook his head. "Say that you'll be happy, that you'll come to me if you need anything… or if you desire a weekend affair," he teased, making her glared angrily at him.

He laughed. "I was joking… a little." She shook her head trying to hide her smile.

"You've always had a beautiful smile," he admitted making her blush. Sho sighed, "Step two." He took a step back and bowed over her hand. He kissed it lingering a little longer than necessary.

"I love you, Kyoko." He looked up into her eyes as he said it. After a moment he stood up releasing the breath he as holding. "That was the last time I will ever say that to anyone, including myself." He paused and touched her cheek, "Smile, laugh, love, live your life to the fullest, because you deserve that and so much more." Her eyes glistened with tears catching the light and a single drop fell on his finger. They felt more than saw the taller man come to reclaim his crying wife. Sho dropped his hand, turned to him, smiled and bowed.

"Congratulations to you," Sho said and stood back up. "The better man won." He took a step towards Kuon to merge back into the crowd, but paused and placed a hand on his shoulder. He leaned in and whispered, "If she were to fall from your arms, I'll be there to catch her," he looked up at him, "and I won't let go."

Kuon nodded. "I would be cold to the world before I let that happen."

Sho laughed coldly. "Don't give me any ideas." His hand slipped from Kuon's shoulder and he disappeared into the crowd.

Her back was turned as Kuon approached her. He leaned down worried as she hid her face. That handy little handkerchief came out again, and she took it with a big smile. "I broke his heart," Kyoko admitted and started crying more.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently. He couldn't say anything, nothing would help her. He enclosing her in his love until her eyes dried and her heart slowed from the pain of hurting someone who is so dear to her.

"Do you want to go?" He whispered as she finally pulled away.

Kyoko shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I'm not the one who is hurting, he is. I'm just sorry it had to happen like this." She took a deep breath and looked up at her new husband making her heart swelled. Her face tilted adoringly as she looked at him.

"Unless you want to go." She stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She sighed happily, finally getting to hug him and laughed, "I feel like I haven't seen you all day."

He smiled and returned her embrace. "I know what you mean. It's been a very long day but a very good one." He reached up and caressed her check with the back of his fingers. She tilted her head against his hand closing her eyes with the sweetest smile. She pushed herself up and offered her lips to him without opening her eyes. Kuon smiled softly and kissed her.

There was a cough behind them, and they turned to find the closest people to them blushing and staring at them. "Save it for the honeymoon, guys," Yukihito teased.

"No, it's sweet. Never mind us." Julie gave them big goo-goo eyes, and the two laughed.

Kuu came up to them to be heard over the music. "Go home. It's almost over. We will take care of things here. Enjoy your vacation and call us when you get back." Both of them grinned and were more than relieved to hear that.

Kyoko stopped Kuu as he turned around. "Are you going to be here when we come back?"

Kuu smiled softly at her and replied, "No, we'll be heading back sometime next week." Kyoko pouted sadly, her eyes getting shinny again. "Please, don't look at me like that." He leaned down and hugged his new little girl. Julie walked up tears already falling and hugged her as well.

"I'll miss you so much, sweetie." Julie hugged her for all she was worth. "Promise me, you will not disappear and never talk to us for five years! My heart couldn't take it," she cried.

Kyoko laughed and shook her head. "Never. We'll call all the time and visit when we can."

They said their goodbyes to their closest friends and family and snuck out the back door with Julie and Kuu. Kyoko looked around for their limo but couldn't find it.

"Where's the limo?" She asked as they stopped. She looked up at the three of them. Kuon looked at his parents.

"We wanted to give you something, Kyoko. For our appreciation to you for everything you've done for our son," Kuu started

She smiled and shook her head. "I didn't…"

"Stop," Julie ordered and wrapped her arms around her. "You helped him over come his past and brought our baby boy back to us. If it wasn't for you, I don't know how long it would have been for him to come out of his self loathing. Please, accept this." Julie put something bulky in her hand.

Kuu came up and smiled. "We want you to be safe and no daughter of mine is riding a bike everywhere she goes." They stood back, and she looked into her hand. In it were keys, and Kuon and his parents stood back to reveal a brand new silver Jaguar.

Kyoko's eyes grew wide in shock. "I can't! It's too much. You paid for the wedding and the honeymoon. I can't take a new car and not one as expensive as this." She held out her hand with the little pouncing kitty keychain dangling.

Kuu sighed. "Unfortunately, it's a custom car specifically for you. We can't take it back, and we can't take it back with us to America. So it's either you take it, or we have to junk it."

Kyoko started to cry and laugh at the same time. "What a horrible lie." She went and hugged them again, thanking them over and over again. She turned to Kuon a little eager to get into her new car. He opened the driver side door for her, and she jumped in. They took a few moments to explain some of the normal functions of the car. Lights, wipers, gears, everything that she would need to know, so she could drive the car. There was GPS, satellite radio and other toys she would have to explore.

She couldn't stop squirming in her seat as she drove home. Kuon laughed softly, playing with some of the features a little jealous. "I think I'm going to have to get a new car," he mumbled.

She laughed. "Why?" she asked and puffed up in pride, "Are you jealous?"

He growled playfully. "Don't blame me if your car is suddenly gone, and you have to drive mine."

She gasped outraged, "You wouldn't dare take my car!"

He laughed. "I might if you keep teasing me." He leaned back and smiled at her. They arrived at their apartment building, and Kyoko had to look around for a spot. The apartment had one official parking spot, so she was forced to find a guest spot to park in. They stepped out, and she clicked the little button on her remote to lock her pretty new car. They started to make their way up to their condo, and she had this big goofy smile on her face.

As they entered the main lobby, the elderly door man held the door open for them. "Have a good night, Hizuri-kun," he spoke to Kuon and turned a smile to the sweet girl he's seen so often now, "Welcome to the building, Hizuri-chan."

Kyoko blushed and giggled at the older man, "Thank you, Kondo-san. Please take care of me." She bowed her greeting to him. Kuon stole his wife away and swept her into his arms as he opened the door to their condo.

"Welcome home, my wife," he said brightly and crossed the threshold. She laughed, her face shinning brightly and wishing she could smile wider. He slipped off his shoes and she toed off hers letting them thump to the floor.

"What should we do now, my husband?" She said shyly, and he grinned at her.

"I hear the bed calling our names." His voice was deep, and she flushed as he carried her into their bedroom. She laughed as he eagerly dropped both of them onto the bed and started to crawl over her. She licked her lips nervously as she lay back onto the soft sheets.

"Wait," she suddenly said. He groaned, falling to her side and onto his back. Kyoko laughed and turned towards him. "I'm sorry. Let me take a really quick shower. Please? And I can put on the nightgown I bought. I promise, really quick!"

He raised his hand and cupped her face. He nodded, and she stormed off. She quickly took the one box she didn't unpack and went into his bathroom, while he made himself more comfortable. She stripped off her clothes as the water heated up and jumped into the shower.

Oh did the water feel good. She sighed as the day's sweat and dirt washed off her skin. She washed her hair twice getting rid of all the hair products Jelly put into it and scrubbed her skin till it was pink. She paid special attention to certain parts to make sure she was squeaky clean. Kyoko knew she was still salon perfect from everything, but she still check herself over as she dried off. She dried her hair as quickly as she could, throwing precaution out the window and setting the hair dryer on high. She combed it a few times to try and get it to fall in the right place.

She let the towel fall from around her and took out the satin slip. It was still as soft as the first time she put it on and still looked as classy as ever. It actually came with a simple white thong but she went out and bought white lace panties for it instead, something she was more comfortable with. She also thought it was much prettier. She looked in the mirror and smiled at her reflection.

"Hizuri Kyoko," Kyoko said softly to herself and giggled. She ran her hands over the front of her slip and took a deep breath. Why she was worried she didn't know. He's always been able to calm her nerves and make her comfortable in his arms and in his bed. She was announced his to the world and under God today, and tonight she would be his - mind, soul and finally body. Her head peeked out, and she found Kuon lying on the bed with the covers pulled back wearing only his slacks. There was only one light on, the lamp on her side of the bed. His face was covered in shadows, but he was facing her way.

She came out shyly, her body wanting to run up to him, so she wasn't on display. She licked her lips and took a shaky breath, "What do you think?" She could feel the fabric clinging to her subtle curves, the softness of it caressing her thighs as she walked and slide against her breast as she breathed. She crept closer to him and turned her head.

"Kuon?"

She bent low to see his face and found him asleep. Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a laugh. "Kuon," she whispered as she sat down on the edge of the bed. He didn't move. She watched him sleep for a moment, the dark strands of his hair covering his right eye. She ran her finger down his temple and forced the hair back. Kuon shifted slightly, and she spoke again, "Kuon, aren't you going to make love to me?"

"Hmm," the sound escaped his lips with his steady breathing. She smiled, leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Good night, my prince," Kyoko whispered. She stood up and looked over him. She wanted to take off his pants, so he could sleep comfortably but that would wake him up. While she would have liked to spend the night in his arms making love, she also didn't want to wake him up. Instead, she unbuttoned and lowered the zipper of his slacks. She stepped to the foot of the bed, grabbed the thinnest sheet and pulled it over him. She walked around and sat on what would become her side of the bed, and then looked around the room and flushed.

_My room_

She ran her hand over the large bed.

_My bed_

She turned off the light, swung her legs up into the bed and pulled the sheet over herself. She turned her head to her left, at him, and smiled.

_My everything_

The sandman came quickly for her. She couldn't believe how heavy her body felt and she entered that dreamless sleep quickly or so she thought. She felt like she was being embraced by this warm living cream. It felt like it was all around her keeping her warm and safe. It felt on great on her skin too, so soft and smooth. It was as if it was alive though, not something she wrapped around herself. It moved across her body gliding along her skin softly, up her thighs over her hip and her back arched in pleasure as it moved up over her stomach, her ribs and over her breast to her shoulders and then back down. The warmth didn't stop touching her, never speeding up or slowing down simply running up and down her body like the finest silk.

Kyoko felt herself turn onto her back, the dream taking hold of her. She felt it hold her waist and lifted her gently off the bed and set her back down. She felt something hot pressed against the flesh of her stomach and move up and that same something on her thigh and slide up to cup her bottom. She moaned as it molded against her right breast, and she saw a shadow above her as her eyes cracked open.

The shadow came closer to her face as her eyes blinked away sleep and found the most ethereal face looking down at her darkly. His mouth moved but she couldn't understand or hear what he was saying. Kuon's face filled her vision and forced her eyes to close once again as his wet lips softly brushed against hers. Her hands reached out and found bed warmed flesh. She sighed as he swept his lips down her neck softly suckling her skin. His hand stroked down the side of her body, sliding effortlessly across her skin. She gasped as his arm pulled her up into a sitting position. Her eyes flew open and meet with his.

"Kuon…" Kyoko breathed as his hand slipped up her body and pushed off the slip that covered her. His left arm supported her, keeping her up with his forearm pressed against her spine, his hand splayed between her shoulder blades.

"You fell asleep," she whispered to him as she started to finally wake up. He ran his right hand up her body making her arched her back against him, her breast thrusting towards him in an offering.

Kuon laughed softly, his hot breath blowing across her chest as they ached for his mouth. He spoke softly to her breast, "I did. I'm sorry." His right hand moved up and circled her breast, squeezing it gently. "I'll make it up to you," he spoke and wrapped his lips around the tantalizing offer. She cried out as his mouth sucked and licked her. The tip of his tongue circled the dark hardened bud making her blood rush through her veins. He set her back down on the bed, his hands running down her body to the lace panties she still had on. She felt him roll the fabric off her hips and down her legs.

Kyoko looked up at him as he knelt before her. She didn't know when he had stripped off, but he was before her completely naked. Her eyes ran from his handsome face down his body, his thick wide shoulders, his muscled chest dipping to the solid mass of his abs, his slim waist and the little V shape that came together to the part of him showing her how very eager he was to be with her. Kuon moved back and shifted down. He kissed her knee and started to nibble and lick the inside of her right thigh. Her legs moved on their own to accommodate his advances.

She started to pant as he crept closer, her body anticipating the warmth of his breath, the soft press of his lips, and the slick touch of his tongue. His hands wrapped around her thighs, and he tilted her hips up, bringing her legs up into the air and kissed her making her throw her head back. Her fingers grasped to the bed sheets as he fed from her. Kuon licked her slowly as she moaned and tried to contain her movements. She glanced down at him; his eyes were closed as if he was enjoying the sweetest of creams.

His tongue swept inside of her causing her to rock her hips against him. He ran his hand up and down her thigh, petting her soft skin. Her breath quickened and her hips started to rotate with his movements. He took her between his lips and sipped softly until she thrashed against him, crying out as she climaxed.

Kyoko felt the bed move, heard the rustle of the sheets as he moved over them. His body caged her in as he crawled over her. She shifted her legs to fit him between her and wrapped them around his waist. He leaned down, her sex pressing against his stomach, and he kissed her shoulder. He ran his fingers through her hair as he kissed up her shoulder to her neck. He licked her skin and sucked the flesh at the crook of her neck. Her arms embraced him, wrapping around his shoulders as best as she could. Kuon supported himself with his forearms pressing on the bed. He leaned in and kissed her lips, her mouth opening to take him in. She slipped her tongue out to meet with his and tasted herself.

Kuon shuddered above her as she ran her nails down his back. She nipped at his lips and grew more forceful with her kisses. Kyoko ran her hands up his back, her fingers sinking into his hair as he moved to the other side of her neck. His hands ran over her breast and rolled her nipple with his fingers. She thrust her hips against him and squeezed him around his waist with her thighs.

He groaned and bit her breast in revenge. She gasped, but it was not in pain. He moved up and kissed her. Her mouth moved from his lips and started to kiss his chin and nibble down his jaw. Kyoko slowly worked her lips down his neck, lightly sucking his salty skin. He rose up as her mouth kissed his chest, her little tongue licking him. She moved herself lower and turned her face up to look up at him. She slid her leg against his and shifted her hips against him.

Kuon moaned as she slid the hot wet heat of her womanhood across his straining shaft. Her mouth continued to taste him as her hips made him rub against her. His breathing grew short and ragged. She reached up and slid herself across him slowly until she felt the tip of him at her entrance, and he took over.

Kyoko cried out as he joined their bodies in one swift motion, a loud moan escaping his lips. The pain was sharp, and she clenched around him, her arms, legs and body held onto him as she gasped for breath. He held still above, inside of her. He kissed her forehead softly and ran his fingers across her skin.

He leaned over her, and she flinched as he moved. "We can stop if you want," he whispered to her, and she immediately shook her head.

"It won't hurt next time. You don't have to do this," he spoke softly as he slowly started to pull out. She gasped, her body arching as he moved, and he frowned watching her in pain. She shifted back down and pushed him in slightly. She moaned and tightened her legs around him. She lifted her hips to stop his retreat and found that it only hurt after a certain point, but the pain overall wasn't bad.

"Go slow," Kyoko whispered, "but don't stop." She ran her hands up his chest and glided around his back. She pulled him in closer to her. She wanted to be completely wrapped around him, to feel nothing but him as he loved her. Kuon did was she asked and shifted his position. He moved his right knee up to give himself the leverage he needed and slowly moved. It took every ounce of strength too keep this slow rhythm. He closed his eyes and felt every little muscle around him tightly squeeze every little bit of his length. Her arms clung on to him, making him stay as close to her as possible. Her hot breath puffed against his skin every time he moved inside of her.

The more he moved, the easier it got. She relaxed around him, and he could tell she was enjoying it more. Still, he didn't want to change anything. He made long sure strokes, leaving only his tip inside of her and slowly slipped in to her again and again. Oh, it was driving her mad. Kyoko loved it when he rocked inside of her, wanting that to happen more than him slipping out. When he started to slip out, she thrust her hips before he was halfway out.

Kuon groaned and stopped his movement. He looked at her. She was flushed, air rushing in and out of her full throbbing lips. He changed and made shorter thrusts in side of her but still slowly, softly. She gasped and her legs fell from around him. She widened her thighs, and her nails ran over his ribs and into his skin. Her breath came in short shallow pants to his measured, insistent rhythm.

"Faster," she whispered, and his mind disappeared. Kuon increased his tempo and her breathing became moans, small soft sounds that crawled out of her throat as he moved. Kyoko lifted her legs higher up his waist almost touching his ribs. He raised himself and her voice got louder as he leaned back. His hand captured her right leg and pushed it forward against her.

She turned her head towards the blankets, her hands clinging to the sheets around her as he made her body bounce against him. Her lips felt numb and her head felt light. This was too much. It felt too good. Kyoko wanted him to stop and to never stop. He kept going, driving in to her with this motion that would not stop driving her higher. Kuon took her other leg and hooked it around his arm, and the pleasure intensified. He went faster and harder inside of her, and she screamed at the exquisite feeling. Her body rocked with an overwhelming rushed, but he kept moving. Her soft moans turned to loud cries. Her body was this huge throbbing nerve. He leaned over her, his head resting next to hers as he held her legs and thrust mercilessly into her. She grabbed him and tucked her face into his neck, muffling her loud moans.

His movements started to become harder, faster and shallower. She felt him slap against her and small sounds started to escape his lips. Kuon clenched his fist and moaned as he pulsed inside of her, his movements coming to a screeching halt. He released her legs, and she lowered them down slowly, the euphoria still in her body not revealing the aches inside of her just yet. His breath was loud against her ear, but she was sure hers were the same. After a few moments, he ran his hand down her side and back up. His fingers moved up her sweat coated body to her left breast. He rolled it gently and pinched it making her whimper softly.

Kyoko lied limp beneath him as his hand touched her skin. He smoothed his palm over her hips and to her thighs. She felt him shift up, the cold air hitting her skin. Kuon looked down at her. He held her thigh against him low on his hip and looked at her as he pressed into her. He never pulled out of her, and she didn't even notice that he was still half hard. He grounded his growing arousal into her. She gasped as he quickly started to fill her again, growing harder at each movement.

Her hands reached up and pushed against his chest. Kuon rose up and continued those strong sure strokes into her. He took her hand, brought each one to his lips and then held them down with his hands. Her grip tightened around his fingers as he shifted. He spread his knees wide and started to rock his hips the same way he did when he was dancing for her. Oh that dance meant so much more now. With her free legs, she pushed herself up to match his fluid movements and soon he was lost inside of her again. His movements became raw and frantic. She tried to keep up but her body was taken by the current of pleasure that he was making inside of her.

The night turned to day. Kyoko didn't know when Kuon had woken her up. They could have been at this for hours or minutes. She had no concept of time. He embraced her and took her. He would fall panting beside her, and her body would grow heavy from their actions, then he would start kissing her two seconds later. His hands would play with her body, touching her, making her skin feel alive and crave more of his touch. Her thighs were sticky with their play, the bed sheets were slowly being pulled from under the edges of his mattress. Her eyes would start to drift closed, and he would pull her up into his arms.

"Don't go to sleep yet," Kuon whispered to her. Kyoko would feel his hands run down her body, and his mouth would start to lick her. No matter how long it took for him to get a rise out of her, he would do it. He would lick and play with her until she was begging for his body once again. It wasn't until he fell asleep, that she was able to rest.

Kyoko woke up dreaming of food. Her eyes opened to find her husband still asleep. He was snoring lightly with his face buried in a pillow. She smiled noticing that he didn't even bother with a sheet to cover up. She turned towards the clock and regretted it. Pain and stiffness shot down body. She groaned as she rotated her neck and her shoulders. She crawled out of bed and found her legs and places deep inside of her very sore. She put on the closest thing which happened to be the slip she was wearing last night. She turned her head to the clock trying to read it for the second time. It was no wonder she was hungry. It was almost four in the afternoon.

Kyoko slipped out of the bedroom, careful not to wake him up. She padded into the kitchen and found the first thing she could munch on while she made something to eat. She pulled open a bag of chips that father didn't eat yet and almost hesitated eating them. Her stomach screamed at her loudly and demanded her to eat them. She put the salty chip into her mouth and almost died from joy. No one should be this hungry. She wanted something quick and everything was frozen. She saw a sweet potato and thought to make daigakuimio. She cut up the potato and started to fry them up still snacking on the chips. It was a large bag, remember it was for Kuu.

She heard the door open down the hall. She smiled knowingly and blushed as memories of earlier that day rushed to her head. She saw movement come from the corner of her eye, and her face split into a wider grin. She concentrated on frying the bits of sweet potato getting the pretty brown color all around. His hands crept around her waist, and he pressed her back to him. He bent down and kissed her cheek. "Good morning," Kuon whispered.

She laughed. "Good afternoon," she corrected him.

He grinned as he nuzzled her hair. "Your voice sounds good, anytime of the day." Kuon looked at the pan. "That's all you are making?"

"You want food?" Kyoko said shocked, "That's not the man I married." She reached into the chip bag and held it up for him. He quickly ate it and looked at her.

"And who is this woman in my kitchen, wearing nothing but a slip?" His hands slipped under and found her bare hip. "She isn't even wearing underwear. That's not the woman I married," he teased with a husky voice.

"Haha," Kyoko laughed sarcastically. She turned off the heat to the food finally cooked and turned to him. His hand stayed at her waist making the slip lift as his hand rested on the small of her back now. "As if you couldn't pick me out of a line by touching me after everything you did to me this morning." She side stepped him to get a dish to put her potatoes in.

"I didn't hear you complaining," he said as he followed her to the cupboard. She reached up getting a bowl, and Kuon pressed his body against hers. "In fact, I remember you asking for more." Kyoko sighed as he raised her slip and ran his strong fingers up her back. He slipped his hand over and cupped her breast from behind and dipped his body, pressing his hard length against her butt.

"Kuon, wait…" she breathed, waiting to warn him but failed. His hand was running down her inner right thigh, and he lifted it high on the counter. Kyoko started to lean over slightly, and she felt his fingers sneak down to her folds. She gasped in pain as he touched her.

"Are you okay?" He let her go immediately, his voice filled with fear and concern.

She turned around blushing. "I'm a little sore. I'm sorry."

He shook his head and cupped her cheek. "It's my fault. I got carried away this morning. You sort of changed my plans."

"What was your plan?" She asked curiously.

"Just once and let you heal up for the start of the honeymoon and then…" Kuon lifted her up onto the counter and ran his hands up her thighs. "Then you can handle the things I did to you this morning." His hands continued up her body, and he started kissing and biting her neck.

Kyoko smiled as he started to make her feel very good. "I think I did well enough," she said with a sigh. Her eyes fluttered close and her hand reached out to him.

He laughed and pulled back to look into her face. "You were wonderful. I couldn't get enough of you." Kuon took his hands from her body and cupped her face. He kissed her hungrily, his tongue slipping into her mouth passionately. "I want more," he admitted and kissed her again. "I don't want to stop touching you." His hands ran down her shoulders taking the little straps of the slip off her shoulder. "I love the way you taste," he licked her, "The sounds you made as I buried myself into you." She whimpered softly, her body remembering the filling.

"I already miss being inside of you." Kuon breathed against her lips and ravaged them again. The slip hung at her elbows, her breasts getting cold from his lack of touch. Kyoko moaned as he embraced her. She started to lean back, oblivious to where she was and smacked the back of her head on the cupboards.

"Ow…" She reached up and rubbed her head, and they both laughed. He sighed as he pulled the little straps back on her shoulders, the little bang on her head reminding him to not take advantage of her yet.

"So how does this change things?" She asked. Kyoko watched him as he put her slip back on.

"It might take a little longer for you to heal but this might be a good thing." He smiled at her as he picked her up and set her on the floor. "This way we can get all the sight seeing done on the first few days." She took the bowl and walked over to the stove to get the food she made while he spoke.

She frowned confused. "Isn't our honeymoon two weeks long?"

"Yup," Kuon replied.

Kyoko turned with the little bowl in hand. "So if we do all the sight seeing in the first three days, what are we going to do for the other 11 days?" She lifted a piece of sweet potato to her lips and looked at him. His lips split into a sexy grin and looked at her with dark, heavy lidded eyes.

Her eyes grew large, and her face burned up, "You can't do that for 11 days straight," she whispered incredibly.

He sighed. "You're right." Kyoko glanced up at him thinking that the emperor left but he didn't. He suddenly appeared next to her. He took her chin and lifted her face towards his. She felt her face burn as she swallowed nervously.

"Three weeks would have be better." Kuon smiled dangerously at her and sealed his lips upon hers.

_Oh, what have I gotten myself into?_

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading about their wedding as much as I did writing it. This story was difficult for me. I wrote several pages worth of storyline and deleted it all completely unhappy with it. Rinse repeat. Insider info: There was going to be a bank robbery in this story. Can you believe that? As you all just finished reading, I nixed that idea. I can only hope everyone had fun reading this. **

**Thanks so much for spending your time with me.**

**Before anyone asks, No, I'm not going to write about their two week honeymoon. I simply cannot write about that much sex._ Cheers!_**


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